WESTWOOD WANTS TO THRIVE ON ALL TOURS

Lee Westwood thinks 29 years of loyalty to the European – now DP World – Tour should count for something when he asks to play for the record

$25 million purse at St Albans next month.

The veteran is playing the Betfred British Masters – a tournament he has twice hosted – at The Belfry this week.

He finally confirmed he has requested releases from both main tours for the LIV golf event at Centurion next month “like many others have”.

He’s waiting now to see if this will be granted and whether he can tee up in the Saudi-financed tournament, promoted by Greg Norman, despite the potential of bans from the established tours.

“It’s not the first release I’ve asked for,” he said.

“I’ve not heard anything back yet. The ball is in the European Tour’s court and the PGA Tour’s court. We are just following the rules laid out and the protocols.”

The PGA Tour’s deadline for release requests passed last week, the DP World Tour’s is next Tuesday. The decisions will follow, but Westwood thinks he has long-proved his loyalty to his home tour.

“I’ve supported the European Tour for 29 years,” he said.

“I’ve gone over and won on the PGA Tour in ’98, but not taken my card. I have never been sort of driven by playing on the PGA Tour like a lot of the guys have. It’s been a goal (for many) to get on to the PGA Tour. It never has for me.

“My goal has always been to be a European Tour member and support this tour and kind of go in and out of the PGA Tour.

“I’ve hosted events on this tour and obviously played wherever I can through Covid and stuff like that. I consider myself a European Tour member and I’ve always tried to support The European Tour as much as I can.”

Westwood believes LIV wants to play alongside the established tours.

“It’s being portrayed as an ‘us and them’ thing,” he continued. “The people from LIV Golf, all the reports I’ve heard, have said that they want to stand side-by-side.

“They’re not going up against any of the really massive tournaments. They want everybody to be able to play, have options. They’re not forcing anybody’s hand.”