Lee Westwood has blasted "brainwashed" critics of the LIV Golf series. The 51-year-old English golf veteran, among the earliest defectors to the divisive Saudi-funded circuit in the summer of 2022, faced a barrage of condemnation from both his peers and golf aficionados alike.
During an appearance on the Fairway to Heaven podcast, Westwood made no bones about his perspective, saying: "After 30 years of being a professional sportsman I've learned not to give a s*** what anybody thinks." Devoting the bulk of his career to the European Tour, Westwood shunned the allure of the PGA Tours high-profile status before his pivot to LIV.
He explained: "I've been a member of the European tour for nearly 30 years and I've won in the U.S. 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. Covid came along, a lot of people went and started up in the States because of world ranking points and various things.
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"But 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."
Westwood lashed out at detractors, arguing: "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 us players that were going to LIV just to really forge their case with the public, and convince the public that we were bad and they were good."
Renowned for his blunt approach and defence of his involvement in the LIV league, Westwood has frequently clashed with both golf enthusiasts and fellow golfers. The Express takes a closer look at these confrontations...
McIlroy's comments spark a fire
In a blistering dig, while speaking before last year's Ryder Cup, Rory McIlroy said: "It's certainly a little strange not having them around but I think this week of all weeks it's going to hit home with them they are not here. They are going to miss being here more than we're missing them. This week is a realisation that the decision that they made has led to not being a part of this week and that's tough."
McIlroy further said on the fluid state of the sport: "The landscape in golf is ever-changing and more dynamic and we'll see what happens and whether they will be part of it in the future. I always thought leading up to this week is when it's going to hit home that they are not going to be here."
His pointed observations were aimed at Westwood, along with Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, and Henrik Stenson - who was stripped of his Team Europe captaincy for joining the controversial LIV Golf enterprise. When asked about the latter, McIlroy wrote online: "The best thing to happen to the 2023 Euro Ryder Cup team was Henrik going to LIV!"
However, this remark didn't sit well with fellow golfers Poulter and Lee Westwood. Poulter hit back with heavy sarcasm, saying: "Guys, calm down...this is a parody fake account... Rory McIlroy wouldn't say this it's fake I promise you. He is a class act and wouldn't say that about a team-mate." Meanwhile, Westwood chimed in with a festive jab: "Nice to see the season of goodwill in full swing! Merry Christmas!!! I remember my first beer!"
Westwood says the PGA copied LIV and responds to Woods critique
In response to criticism over his move to LIV, Westwood defended his decision by pointing out similarities between the PGA's new TGL 'high-tech golf league' and the LIV series. Speaking to Eurosport, he said: "I laugh at what the PGA Tour players have come up with. It's just a copy of what LIV is doing."
He added: "There are a lot of hypocrites out there. They all say LIV is 'not competitive'. They all point at the no-cut aspect of LIV and the 'short fields'. Now, funnily enough, they are proposing 20 events that look a lot like LIV. Hopefully, at some point they will all choke on their words. And hopefully, they will be held to account as we were in the early days."
Meanwhile, in response to Tiger Woods' criticism that LIV stars had "turned their back on what allowed them to get to this position", Westwood retorted: "The LIV players will talk the LIV tour up, the PGA players that aren't on the LIV tour will talk the PGA Tour up and put down the LIV tour. I don't pay too much attention to people's opinions. Tiger is entitled to his opinion."
A peppering of Pepperell
Westwood has also been involved in verbal spats with other players. Eddie Pepperell criticised him on social media last August, when Westwood responded to the OWGR rankings - which he wasn't included in - with a cry-laughing emoji.
Pepperell took umbrage at Westwood's decision to play in the LIV Golf league for substantial sums of money, writing: "I'll tell you what's a joke Lee; you earning 3X the average annual UK salary in one week for shooting +20 over 3 rounds," to which Westwood replied: "PIP? Miss that one did you? Monday simulator games? Miss that one too? " referring to the PGA's Player Impact Program - a bonus pool, which rewarded the tour's top performers in 2021.
Pepperell hit back: "It's all laughable. From you earning £100k last week for playing like a turnip to the TGL/PIP. Pro golf has degraded itself to being just about the money. Maybe it always has been and I'm naive, but it isn't doing much to improve the sport and genuinely 'grow the game.'"
The spat continued unabated, but Westwood was unyielding, later firing back: "You know who's responsible for all of this! Me and @IanJamesPoulter asked all the questions at the Players meeting at Wentworth and you sat right in front of me bowing your head like a nodding donkey while KP was spouting his political head/master s****."
Westwood's apology from ex-footballer
In 2022, Westwood also found himself embroiled in a public row with former Sunderland footballer Gordon Armstrong, who shockingly likened his move to LIV Golf to match-fixing in football. In a sharp retort, Westwood said: "You've likened playing for another league to someone who commits a criminal offence of throwing football matches?
"What an amazing grasp of reality! I'm sure your employers will be thrilled to hear this logic." Initially, Armstrong hit back: "You took loads more money when you really don't need it, which I never said was criminal, like Jon Rahm said you guys could never spend all your money, what I said was it has completely spoilt your reputation as a legend of European Golf," but subsequently removed his tweet.
Nevertheless, he came back later to offer an apology for his remarks: "Apologies the bit about other footballers went too far," which Westwood graciously accepted.
