Rory McIlroy’s latest comments on LIV Golf irked Ryder Cup icon Lee Westwood as the breakaway league’s star prepare to attend Alfred Dunhill later this year
Lee Westwood has hit out(Image: Jordan Bank/Getty Images)
LIV Golf star Lee Westwood has hit out at Rory McIlroy, calling his latest critique of the breakaway league ‘typical’. The Ryder Cup legend described his former team-mate’s words as ill-thought-out following the decision to extend an invitation to some LIV Golf players to play in the DP World Tour.
In October, Westwood will feature in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in St Andrews. Westwood’s return, along with fellow veteran Ian Poulter, will feature in a DP World Tour event for the first time since 2023, after years of dispute over fines they racked up for playing on the LIV tour in 2022.
Three-time champion Tyrrell Hatton has also been confirmed. As has Australian Cameron Smith, whose move to LIV in 2022, while he was still the Open champion, rocked the sport.
McIlroy questioned the value of adding such players to the ranks of competition.
“I would argue, have they brought value to LIV?” he said earlier this week. He added: “I feel like I’ve kept my position consistent that LIV has never been a good thing for the game.”
Westwood did not appreciate McIlroy’s comments and responded furiously when they were brought up. “I really don’t care what people think, to be perfectly honest,” Westwood told TNT Sports at LIV Golf Indianapolis.
“It [Alfred Dunhill Links Championship invite] illustrates the fact that people like LIV players in their events. Promoters and sponsors, no matter which tour they’re on, they [LIV golfers] bring quality to tournaments.
“I heard Rory’s comments. I thought Scottie [Scheffler] answered the question well and Rory’s answer was just typical of Rory, really – it wasn’t well thought out.
McIlroy and Scheffeler have differing thoughts(Image: Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
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“There’s a lot of players on this tour [LIV Golf] bring value to tournaments.”
Scheffler was more open-minded over what LIV’s best could bring if they returned to the tour. The world number one would be happy to compete with them more frequently.
“When you look at the higher levels of LIV Golf, there’s definitely some players that would provide a lot of value to the Tour — and guys that I love competing against as well,” he said.
“There’s certainly some guys on that tour that can compete out here and I look forward to the chance to compete with them more often.”
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LIV Golf is heading to the JCB Golf and Country Club in Rocester across July 23-26. Fans can watch all the action live on HBO Max or Prime Video’s TNT Sports channel.