Lee Westwood was among the initial participants in the contentious LIV Golf series. The English golfer faced significant criticism for his decision to leave the PGA Tour in favor of this alternative tour. In subsequent years, he has responded to his early detractors, asserting that they were ‘brainwashed’ regarding the Saudi-backed initiative.
During a recent appearance on LIV Golf’s Fairway to Heaven podcast, Westwood expressed that he has become indifferent to the opinions of others. The 51-year-old remarked that after three decades in the professional arena, he has developed a greater resilience to criticism.
Furthermore, the golfer asserted that those who have made misguided comments regarding his choices were mistaken, as he possesses a “very different perspective on loyalty.” He further contended that the initial detractors of LIV Golf were “influenced by individuals driven solely by financial interests.”
Responding to a query about criticism, Lee Westwood said on the Fairway to Heaven podcast (at 55:58):
“After 30 years of being a professional sportsman, I’ve learned not to give a what anybody thinks… I clearly have a very different idea about loyalty than people who have said stupid things… I think a lot of those people are now starting to understand that they were being brainwashed by certain people with just purely financial motivations on their mind”
“They were making up these stories and trying to give people these ideas about those players that were going to LIV. Just to really forge their case on the with the public and convince the public that we were bad and they were good.”
Lee Westwood expressed that he has always been confident in his loyalty. The seasoned English golfer mentioned that he has been part of the European tour for almost three decades. As a veteran of the European Ryder Cup, he emphasized that he chose not to join the PGA Tour, even after securing two victories in the US.
Westwood shared that he loves competing in Europe, as it’s where he truly feels he “belongs.” He reminisced about staying in Europe and participating in European Tour events, even when many others were heading to the US for world ranking points. The former world No. 1 stated that he has always prioritized enhancing his home circuit.
Lee Westwood calls for unification amid golf civil war
Lee Westwood has expressed his dissatisfaction with the slow pace of negotiations involving the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and the backers of LIV Golf, specifically the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia. The seasoned golfer shared his concerns about the lack of progress and urged for a resolution among the conflicting parties.
He emphasized that his frustration arises from the absence of a deal that would enable LIV golfers to participate more frequently in events outside their own tour. It’s important to highlight that Westwood is currently unable to compete in any PGA Tour Champions events because of his ties to LIV Golf.
The seasoned golfer, who participated in the US Senior Open in June due to an exemption granted by his prior involvement in the Ryder Cup, expressed his disappointment regarding the inability of officials to address the eligibility concerns of LIV players. He further noted that it was unjust for players such as Richard Bland, who ultimately triumphed in the event, to be barred from competing in various tournaments.
Lee Westwood said at the US Senior Open in June, as quoted by Bob Harig on Sports Illustrated:
“The consensus of opinion of everybody that I talked to said it’s great to see myself and Richard playing here. I think, when you look at the US Open two weeks ago or the Masters or the PGA Championship, people are happy to see Bryson (DeChambeau) or Cam (Smith) or Jon Rahm coming and playing in those big events. It’s basically getting all the best players together in one tournament to compete against each other, and that’s what you want at the highest level.”
It’s important to highlight that players such as Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter are unable to participate in various events because of the limitations set by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour.
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