Lee Westwood has got a few things off his chest about his move to LIV Golf, firing back at his critics after quitting the DP World Tour to join the breakaway league.
Lee Westwood has blasted critics who labeled him “disloyal” after he turned his back on the DP World Tour and PGA Tour to join LIV Golf, saying they have been “brainwashed”.
Westwood, 51, was a founding member of the Saudi Arabia-funded league when it launched in 2022 and faced widespread criticism for making the move. In resigning his DP World Tour – formerly known as the European Tour – membership, Westwood has banked millions from making the jump, but it spelled the end of his Ryder Cup days and it left a sour note on a brilliant career.
Two years on, as LIV nears the end of its third season, Westwood says he was hurt by the criticism. As the dust has settled and golf’s civil war nears a stalemate – with the rival tours in protracted merger negotiations – he says many of LIV’s critics were “brainwashed
After 30 years of being a professional sportsman, I’ve learned not to give a s*** what anybody thinks,” he told LIV’s Fairway To Heaven podcast. “It’s hard to do when you hear what some people spout when they don’t have much knowledge.
I’ve been a member of the European tour for nearly 30 years and I’ve won in the US twice, didn’t take up membership there, you know, stayed on the European Tour.
“I enjoyed playing in Europe and that’s where I felt like I belonged. I stayed in Europe and played European tour events, to support them and you know add to those fields I suppose so I clearly have a very different idea about loyalty than people who have said stupid things.
Many individuals are beginning to realize that they were manipulated by individuals solely driven by financial motives.
These manipulators fabricated stories to portray players in a negative light and convince the public of their own superiority.
He expressed his desire to continue playing and remaining competitive for as long as possible.
This is evident by his dedication to training in the gym during tournaments to ensure he is prepared.
He welcomes the hard work required outside of the golf course.
“But I am also a practical person and I understand that at 51, it is not feasible to continue playing indefinitely nor to remain competitive forever.
There will come a time when I may not have the distance in my hits or the motivation to keep practicing, and at that point I may transition into a more managerial role and become a mentor for the team.
I envision this happening at some point down the line, but it is impossible to predict what the future holds.”