Lee Westwood Says He Is Unemployed Amid LIV Golf Uncertainty
· Yahoo Sports
Lee Westwood admits he has no job in professional golf right now. The 53-year-old Englishman told The Chipping Forecast podcast that he is currently unemployed. He has not signed a contract for the new LIV Golf structure, nor has he agreed to return to the DP World Tour. This leaves a former World No. 1 in a unique position with no tour to play on.
The uncertainty stems from a major shift in the golf world. LIV Golf is moving to a new model called LIV 2.0 without funding from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Several big names have already left the league. Westwood says he will not sign up until the details make sense for him.
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A Clear Deadline and a Long Ban
Westwood faces a hard choice with a specific date attached to it. He must notify the DP World Tour by November 12 if he wants to rejoin for the 2027 season. The catch is a severe punishment for leaving the tour in 2022. According to The Straits Times, returning would mean serving a 10-tournament suspension.
This suspension blocks him from playing until the spring. Westwood explained the timeline clearly on the podcast. “I know that if I sign up on the 12th of November, I’ve then got to serve a 10-tournament suspension, which takes me through the South African Open,” he said. The first event he could play would be the Turkish Airlines Open in the first week of May.
That is a long time to sit on the sidelines. A player of Westwood’s age does not have many years left. Missing five months of competitive golf is a big risk. He has already looked at the schedule and sees the gap. “I’ve looked at the schedule, and I feel like the first event I could play in on the DP World Tour will be the Turkish Airlines Open,” he told GolfMagic. He has not looked past that date yet.
Why LIV 2.0 Has Not Worked
The new version of LIV Golf has failed to secure deals with its top players. Westwood is among those who have walked away from the table. Jon Rahm, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, and Tyrrell Hatton are also not returning. The league lost its main financial backer, which changed the entire game.
Westwood is blunt about the offers he has received. “There’s nothing that’s been presented to me that was agreeable for LIV 2.0,” he told The Straits Times. He notes that many details still need to be fixed. Deadlines have passed without him hearing whether he must sign or not. “There are still a lot of things that would need fine-tuning; deadlines have come and gone, and I’ve heard nothing on whether I have to sign or not,” he said.
The financial pressure is gone for Westwood. He states that he has won £16m in prize money on the tour. “I don’t really have to play golf again, but I still love playing golf so it’s given [me] the option what to do over the next few years,” he added. This financial safety net allows him to wait for the right deal.
The Path Forward for a Legend
Westwood remains one of the most decorated players in European history. His record includes 44 professional wins, 25 of which occurred on the DP World Tour. His resume is strong, but his immediate future is empty.
The situation leaves him without a home for the next season. GolfMagic notes that he has yet to sign anything for LIV 2.0. He also has not had real talks with the DP World Tour. “I am yet to have everything put in front of me and I have not really had any dialogue with the DP World Tour,” he said. The window to return closes on November 12. If he misses that date, the option to come back might vanish.
Other players have made their choices clear. Rahm secured a separation agreement in October. He noted that the new format felt like a regular tournament rather than team golf. Westwood shares this hesitation. He waits for clarity while the rest of the tour moves on. The golf world watches to see if he will take the long ban or stay on the sidelines.
The 53-year-old has not made a final call. “I haven’t signed up to anything anywhere. I haven’t made a decision on anything yet,” he told GolfMagic. He repeats this point often. “I haven’t signed 2.0. I haven’t signed anything. This RSA everybody talks about, I haven’t signed that. So literally, I’m unemployed.” Until a deal is struck or the tour door opens, Westwood remains without a team.