Lee Westwood is BANNED from the Senior Open due to ‘outstanding fines’ owed to DP World Tour – as the LIV rebel vows never to compete on the Tour again despite the shocking LIV merger
- The 50-year-old resigned in May alongside Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter
- LIV’s merger with the PGA has yet to resolve the gap between their players
- Westwood took to Twitter to claim he had no fines for firing
Lee Westwood is adamant he will never compete on the DP World Tour again after being banned from playing in the Senior Open this summer for failing to pay fines of more than £800,000, according to reports.
The Tour’s shock merger with LIV Golf, owned by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, will see the PGA and European Tours form a unified, as-yet-unnamed entity, reintegrating shunned LIV golfers into Tour events.
Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter were among the LIV rebels who canceled their Tour memberships in May after facing heavy sanctions for joining the Saudi-backed circuit.
But the 50-year-old is unlikely to return on happier terms, given the outstanding fines he still has to pay to the Tour.
From the TelegraphTour CEO Keith Pelley is urging rebels with outstanding fines to settle before rejoining to ensure they qualify for – among other things – the Ryder Cup.
Lee Westwood barred from playing in Senior Open due to ‘outstanding fines’
The 50-year-old was hoping to make his debut at the tournament in Royal Porthcawl in July
The fines are believed to be £830,000, in addition to the £100,000 Westwood paid the Tour in 2022 for his appearance in LIV’s opening tournament.
Westwood had planned to make his debut with Royal Porthcawl after turning 50, but a dismissal email to the player and fellow competitor Richard Bland said the Senior Open were ‘unwilling to approve’ their application to join due to outstanding fines. .
The golfer said he was “amazed” by the response, saying: “The Senior Open has said I have to pay ‘outstanding fines’ but I don’t have to” as I have canceled my membership in the Tour and I am not from plan to join again.
‘I am confused. I didn’t know you have to be a member of European Tour to play in the Senior Open. It’s not very “open” if so, is it?’
Majors such as the event at Royal Porthcawl have largely remained above contention and have allowed LIV players to compete alongside players from their previous Tour, but the Senior Open is jointly owned by the R&A and DP World Tour.
Upon the release of the report, Westwood bounced back from the idea that he had fines outstanding with the Tour, and took to Twitter to share his thoughts.
Westwood praised the writer, but noted a “few inaccuracies.”
‘Given the size of the fines, I should ever want to participate in the DP World Tour again. Which I don’t have, so I don’t have any outstanding fines. I’m not sure what fines the email was referring to? It’s a riddle.’
The golfer then proceeds to tag the R&A, attempting to seek further clarification from the organizer of The Open.
The merger between the rebel circuit and the Tour will spark even more controversy when it emerged Thursday that the US Justice Department would review the plan.
But the PGA Tour argued that the agreement was an important investment that would benefit the game.
Westwood responded to the report on Twitter, arguing that giving up his membership meant he had no fines
“We are confident that once all stakeholders learn more about how the PGA Tour will lead this new venture, they will understand how it benefits our players, fans and sport while protecting the American institution of golf,” it said. US-based circuit in a statement.
Critics on the LIV Golf circuit have accused the PIF-led organization of “sporting” its human rights record. the general public and among their colleagues.
The newly formed unified company will have to bridge the gap between players who stayed loyal to the Tour and those who defected.
Mail Sport reported on Wednesday that the PIF was investigating compensation for the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and John Rahm, who refused to be lured away from the Tour.