Lee Westwood has taken a swipe at Rory McIlroy after the Northern Irishman branded LIV Golf’s decision to switch from 54 holes to 72 “peculiar”.
Speaking on the talkSPORT Breakfast Show, Westwood – one of LIV’s most experienced figures – wasted no time firing back at his former Ryder Cup teammate.
“I don’t know. I don’t pay too much attention to what Rory says. He’ll change his mind for next week,” Westwood quipped.
McIlroy, who has been one of LIV Golf’s fiercest critics since its launch in 2022, questioned whether adding an extra round would really make any difference to the league’s ongoing battle for Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points.
“I think it’s a peculiar move because I think they could have got ranking points with three rounds,” McIlroy said ahead of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
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“I don’t think three rounds versus four rounds is what was holding them back.”
Westwood strongly disagrees with McIlroy’s scepticism though, calling the change a win for everyone involved.
“I think it was good for the players, good for the sponsors, and good for the fans more than anything as they get to see another day’s golf,” said the Englishman.
Rory McIlroy
Westwood added that LIV’s players wanted to play the same length as the majors – and that a four-round format could only help their case for OWGR recognition.
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“I think they wanted to play 72 holes – that represented more the major championship format,” said Westwood, a co-captain of Majesticks GC.
“But world rankings is one of the things on LIV’s mind.
“I don’t know whether it’s in the criteria or not because there’s 54-hole tournaments that got world ranking points before.
“But I think the boxes that you need to tick with the world rankings, 72 holes probably helps that.”
Jon Rahm is LIV Golf’s biggest signing
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LIV Golf’s big format shake-up
LIV Golf dropped a bombshell on Tuesday by confirming it will expand from 54 to 72 holes starting in 2026.
The move comes as the Saudi-backed circuit continues to evolve its product and chase the elusive world ranking points that have so far been denied since its 2022 debut.
Former OWGR chairman Peter Dawson previously ruled that LIV’s 54-hole, no-cut format for 48 players was its biggest drawback – though he did leave the door open for future consideration if significant changes were made.
Fast forward to now, and those changes are here. LIV has recruited the likes of Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, expanded its qualifying pathways, and will even grow its fields from 54 to 57 players with added wildcard spots from 2026.
CEO Scott O’Neil said the switch marks a “pivotal new chapter” for the breakaway league.
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Sergio Garcia “happy” with the change
Fireballs GC captain Sergio Garcia has told GolfMagic he’s “happy” with the shift – and believes it could finally help LIV secure those long-awaited ranking points.
“Yeah I’m happy about it [moving to 72 holes],” Garcia told us in an exclusive interview on Tuesday.
“I think it’s going to give us more exposure and it’s going to make it even more competitive if it can be, and also if it’s going to help us with the possibility of getting world ranking points, obviously it’s a plus that we want to take the opportunity to do. I think that’s very important, not only for us but for the younger guys.
“But I think at the end of the day it’s going to give our fans one more day to enjoy watching us, so I think it’s all positive.”
McIlroy finds LIV Golf’s format change “peculiar”
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McIlroy’s doubts linger
Despite the fanfare, McIlroy isn’t convinced the change will move the needle when it comes to world rankings.
But then again, he’s never been much of a LIV fan, full stop.
“It certainly puts them more in line with traditional golf tournaments than what we’ve all done,” said McIlroy from this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship where he is looking to win for the first time in his career.
“But if that’s what they felt they needed to do to get the ranking points, I guess that’s what they had to do.”
The five-time major champion added that even if LIV events were eventually recognised by the OWGR, the current weakness of their fields – after years without points – could blunt any benefit.
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McIlroy added: “You’ve got the LIV guys, and say potentially they get World Rankings, but because their strength of fields are going to be so weak because a lot of the guys have fallen already in the rankings, I don’t know if the ranking points are really going to benefit them.”
The bigger picture
LIV Golf’s evolution from 54 to 72 holes signals its most significant step yet towards legitimacy in the global game.
The breakaway Saudi-bankrolled league will still retain its trademark shotgun starts and team format, but with a longer, more traditional structure that mirrors the major championships.
With former OWGR chair Dawson replaced by Masters champion Trevor Immelman, and LIV now ticking many of the boxes previously criticised, the timing could prove crucial.
Whether the OWGR board finally opens the door remains to be seen — but for now, one thing’s clear: the league has made its boldest play yet.
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And if you ask Lee Westwood? He’s not losing any sleep over Rory’s hot take.
“He’ll change his mind for next week…”
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