Westwood Blasts McIlroy and Tour Chief Over LIV Golf Blame

Lee Westwood, the 53-year-old former world No. 1 who was among the first marquee names to join LIV Golf in 2022, says he is currently unemployed and has not committed to playing anywhere in 2027.

In an interview on The Chipping Forecast Podcast, Westwood revealed that he has not signed the restructuring support agreement tied to LIV Golf's proposed 2.0 revival.

"I currently am unemployed," Westwood said.

"I haven't signed up to anything anywhere. There's nothing been presented to me that was agreeable for LIV 2.0."

LIV Golf is winding its way through Chapter 11 bankruptcy in hopes of restarting as LIV Golf 2.0 with new financial backing from BC Partners.

But BC Partners has now withdrawn its pledge to invest, citing a lack of player commitments.

The league needed 30 to 40 players to sign on for the 2027 season.

It reportedly got close but could not get enough on board.

Several marquee names have already exited LIV Golf in recent weeks.

Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Lucas Herbert, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter are among those who have left.

Westwood, however, has not followed them.

"I've seen everybody's statement and I just don't get it," Westwood said.

"I won't be making a statement. It's nobody's business but mine where I go and play golf."

He added: "I don't feel like I've got to put a press release out [for] where I go and work."

Westwood told the podcast co-hosts — Eddie Pepperell, Andrew Cotter and Iain Carter — that deadlines for signing the LIV 2.0 agreement had come and gone without any word.

"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."

He specifically addressed the restructuring support agreement that has been widely discussed in golf media.

"This [Restructuring Support Agreement between LIV Golf and BC Partners] everybody talks about, I haven't signed that," Westwood said.

"So literally, I'm unemployed."

Westwood also addressed recent comments by Rory McIlroy and DP World Tour CEO Guy Kinnings.

Kinnings told The Scotsman earlier this week that LIV Golf had spent over $7 billion with one of its aims being to "destroy the DP World Tour."

McIlroy backed up that claim at the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship on Wednesday.

"I agree with Guy," McIlroy said.

"They took players; they took sponsors; they turned professional golf into an arms race. They were going around Augusta saying they wanted to destroy the European Tour. Yeah, I agree with everything."

McIlroy added: "I think people that don't agree are probably very shortsighted."

Westwood responded to those comments during his appearance on TalkSport.

"Rory made that statement earlier this week," Westwood said.

"Obviously regurgitating what Guy Kinnings had said about LIV wanted to kill the DP World Tour."

Westwood said he had never heard any LIV player express a desire to destroy the European Tour.

"I have never heard any players who play on LIV say that they want to kill the European Tour," Westwood said.

"Why would they do that? Most are actually playing on the European Tour as well, that was the main source of world ranking points."

He asked: "Why would you want to kill a tour that you is filling up your schedule?"

Westwood then questioned the timing of the accusations.

"Maybe someone else was going around saying that at Augusta," Westwood said.

"Why would you bring it up now, why now bring it up right after it happened at Augusta?"

He suggested the comments might be a diversion.

"The statement there seems to me that we are going to try and blame LIV for everything now it is going," Westwood said.

"Maybe Guy is about to break some bad news to his membership and needs an excuse."

The DP World Tour's new hardline stance could factor into Westwood's decision about his future.

CEO Guy Kinnings has said that any player who elects to play on LIV Golf 2.0 will not be able to also tee it up on the European circuit.

Westwood resigned his DP World Tour membership in 2023, along with Ian Poulter and Richard Bland, after an arbitration panel ruled that the tour could sanction players for playing in conflicting events without a release.

Westwood told The Chipping Forecast that rejoining the DP World Tour is a possibility.

He said he understands he would face a 10-tournament suspension and would not be able to tee it up until May in Turkey.

At 53, Westwood is also eyeing the senior circuit while deciding how much of a schedule he wants to play.

"I've looked at the start of next year, and I'm going to enter the Sunningdale Foursomes with Sam, my son, first week in March," Westwood said.

"And then there's a senior event the week..."