“LIV scared the other Tours” That might sound like a statement made by Greg Norman or some senior Saudi-backed League executive. But is not so. The sentence was pronounced by Lee Westwood, during an interview with Bunkered.
In the audience of LIV players, Westwood is undoubtedly one of the most calm and balanced voices, as he has already demonstrated in the past. He was one of the first players to join LIV Golf, playing all tournaments. He finished the season in twentieth place in the individual standings, while his Majesticks GC occupy seventh place in the team standings.
Regarding the current situation, the English champion said: “I think that the hostility (surrounding them, NDR) has led all the players, caddies and the whole LIV team to hug each other even more” “It’s sort of us against them, which made us sort of a big family” “I see the determination in everyone involved, and I believe it is going to get stronger and stronger” “Others get so defensive because they are worried, because they know that LIV is a good product” “They know that LIV can guarantee sponsors for these 48 players at this stage of the season” “No one else can do it, neither the PGA Tour nor the DP World Tour, where a sponsor can come in deciding to invest millions of dollars to guarantee coverage of an event, expecting the presence of the top players as a result” “However, he will discover that to have Rory McIlroy on the field (for example), he will have to guarantee him additional sums (the term appearance money gives a good idea)” “Not what a sponsor expects, right? On the LIV it doesn’t work like that, everything is pre-established” “There is certainty, and this is worrying for all the other tours”.
Westwood also revealed that, prior to joining LIV, he was offered the role of Captain of Team Europe for Rome, but that he declined the offer. “I looked into it but, for certain reasons, I decided to give up” “It wasn’t the right time.”
