Rumors, finger-pointing, and questions about LIV Golf’s future have once again put the divide in men’s golf under the spotlight. When news that PIF had cut ties with LIV Golf became official, Rory McIlroy claimed he and some other professionals had already anticipated something like that. But as questions continue to swirl, Lee Westwood has shared his thoughts on LIV Golf and what he believes the future is going to look like.
“Everybody was guessing back in March, weren’t they? Me and a few others were the closest to it, and you couldn’t say for certain,” Westwood told talkSPORT. “I think there’s a lot of things gone into that. I think the war in the Middle East has not helped. We’re at a point where it is what it is now. You have to move on. There’s no point in going into speculation and you’ve got to look forward. They’re still trying to pull it all together. I will say it came as a bit of a shock when the PIF pulled out. They seemed to be all in on it.”
Rory McIlroy said that he heard about the PIF funding issue in March-April, which was around the time the war in the Middle East had started. He said that he constantly spoke with friends like Ricky McCormick, Tom McKibbin’s caddie. When the Northern Irishman spoke to McCormick about it, the caddie declined everything seemed fine in LIV Golf.
That’s why the 2x Masters champion thought that LIV golfers were blindsided by it. Lee Westwood’s comments confirm the same. Several other golfers felt the same shock as he did when the news broke out.
Bryson DeChambeau called the PIF withdrawal a “flip of the switch.” Fellow LIV golfer, Jon Rahm, said he was “surprised” and noted that the move was “unexpected.”
Sergio Garcia had even announced to the public that the rebel league has funding till 2030. In fact, they were all under the impression that funding would be available until at least 2030.
But then came the flip, as PIF announced it would cut all ties with the league post-2026. And one of the primary reasons behind this decision could be the Middle East war, as PIF decided that its investment strategy for the next five years doesn’t align with investing in LIV Golf.
While the English professional acknowledged the shock, he indirectly referred to McIlroy comments as nothing more than guesswork.
Although this has led to financial uncertainty, many professionals on the league’s roster have actually taken it well. Reports surfaced that some of them had contacted the DP World Tour about membership. However, Lee Westwood pointed out that they are all still optimistic.
CEO Scott O’Neil has made his moves after the announcement. LIV Golf hired Ducera Partners, joined hands with Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, and even made some significant board changes.
According to reports, Bryson DeChambeau is also helping O’Neil by taking part in business meetings. Therefore, the CEO also called him a great “business partner.”
Lee Westwood admitted that he himself sits alongside DeChambeau, Rahm, and others in meetings. As co-captain of the Majesticks Golf Club, he is providing input on the league’s future. According to him, decision-making has improved now because they don’t have to run everything through PIF.
However, this chaos left LIV golfers wondering about their future.
LIV golfers, including Lee Westwood, don’t want to go back on the PGA Tour
Ever since LIV Golf went through financial turmoil, talk about LIV golfers’ careers has been at its peak. Some professionals have expressed interest in returning to the PGA Tour. However, many more have come forward saying they don’t want to.
When Lee Westwood was asked, he said that he never enjoyed playing on the PGA Tour. He pointed out a few instances where he didn’t take his card despite eligibility because of wins on the PGA Tour. So, that’s not an option he wants to take, even if the rebel league goes away.
Thomas Pieters said the same thing that he is not aiming to head back to the PGA Tour. In fact, in a conversation with The Times of London, Anirban Lahiri said that he knows at least a dozen professionals, including himself, who would rather retire than try to find a way back to the American tour.
Bryson DeChambeau also didn’t express much excitement on the return. Instead, he put the burden on the PGA Tour pros and even increased the demand to allow him to play more of his games. The PGA Tour did respond by loosening its social media policy. Although this shows interest from the PGA Tour, Bryson DeChambeau said that he would also be happy with just relying on YouTube golf.
While uncertainty continues to surround LIV Golf’s future, several players have made it clear that a PGA Tour return is far from their preferred option. That stance also adds weight to Lee Westwood’s response to Rory McIlroy, as many within the league still believe LIV Golf can find a way forward.
