Lee Westwood Reveals Why LIV Golf Really Collapsed

Lee Westwood has revealed what he believes is the real reason behind LIV Golf’s collapse.

The 53-year-old Englishman was one of the first players to sign with the Saudi-backed league in 2022.

He spoke just hours before a New Jersey court confirmed the tour would begin winding down operations.

LIV’s lawyers told the court on Thursday that debtors would not proceed with the LIV 2.0 plan.

Instead, they said the debtors are toggling to a value-maximizing wind-down in their business.

The news followed months of speculation about the league’s future.

LIV lost its financial backing from Saudi Arabia in April amid the ongoing Iran war.

By September, the tour had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Stars like Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, and Sergio Garcia made it clear they would leave.

Those attached to LIV had hoped a stripped-down version of the tour could keep the brand alive.

Unlike 2022, when LIV touted $20 million purses to lure players from the PGA Tour, the numbers for a reboot didn’t stack up.

BC Partners Credit had been lined up to provide up to $300 million to finance a revamped competition.

Those plans fell apart when LIV failed to convince enough major names to sign up.

Westwood was among the players who turned down a restructured deal.

Speaking on The Chipping Forecast podcast, he explained why.

“There was nothing presented to me that was agreeable for LIV 2.0,” Westwood said.

“Literally, I’m unemployed!”

Westwood admitted his main motivation for joining LIV was financial.

“A massive financial package was put in front of me – I would have been stupid [to turn it down],” he said.

But he added that money was not the sole reason he signed.

“I have no problem saying part of it was financial. I’ve made a fortune over the last four and a half years.”

The veteran golfer said he has not committed to staying with LIV or leaving.

“I’ve seen everybody’s statement and I just don’t get it. I won’t be making a statement,” Westwood said.

“It’s nobody’s business but mine where I go and play golf.”

He said he hasn’t signed the Restructuring Support Agreement between LIV Golf and BC Partners.

“Deadlines have come and gone, and I’ve heard nothing, whether I have to sign or I don’t have to sign,” he said.

“I haven’t signed 2.0. I haven’t signed anything.”

Westwood also addressed claims made by DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings and Rory McIlroy.

Kinnings said in an interview with The Scotsman that LIV spent over $7 billion with one aim being to destroy the DP World Tour.

McIlroy backed that claim at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship.

“I agree with Guy,” McIlroy said.

“They took players; they took sponsors; they turned professional golf into an arms race.”

Westwood pushed back on that narrative during an appearance on TalkSport.

“Rory made that statement earlier this week. Obviously regurgitating what Guy Kinnings had said about LIV wanted to kill the DP World Tour,” Westwood said.

“I have never heard any players who play on LIV say that they want to kill the European Tour. Why would they do that?”

Westwood noted that most LIV players also played on the DP World Tour for world ranking points.

“Why would you want to kill a tour that you is filling up your schedule?” he asked.

The former world number one questioned the timing of the accusations.

“Maybe someone else was going around saying that at Augusta. Why would you bring it up now, why now bring it up right after it happened at Augusta?”

He suggested the claims might be a distraction.