Lee Westwood spent nearly four years away from the DP World Tour after giving up his membership over LIV Golf fines. This month he was back in the field at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on an invitation, though he missed the cut. Now he’s weighing in on who else should be let in. His answer includes a pointed warning about who really holds the leash on European golf.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
Westwood offered his opinion on whether LIV Golf players should be allowed to return to the DP World Tour, according to a GolfMagic post on X on October 24.
“Anyone with an exemption should be free to come back because, as we know, the DPWT endorses members going to another rival tour and already have 10 cards for it, but if people don’t have an exemption, they should have to go through the school like everyone else. And anyone that thinks the PGA Tour aren’t rivals and are partners are either blind or fools. Yes they provide funding now but to what end and at what cost to the DPWT? The end of 2027 will be interesting as to what assets they ask for.”
He also wrote on X that the tour is in an “interesting position,” “caught between needing ‘names’ at those times of year when they don’t get strong fields (Jan-June) [and] giving invites to people who have shown no interest in the tour other than now when they’ve nowhere else to play. And keeping the members happy that support the tour at the smaller events and the lads that have gone through all the qualifying stages.”
Westwood has won 25 times on the European Tour and was one of LIV Golf’s first signings in 2022. He lost an arbitration case over his fines before he and Ian Poulter resigned from the DP World Tour. This summer, both players settled their fines. Westwood linked the decision to concerns about LIV Golf’s uncertain financial future.
That opened the door for both players to return at the Dunhill Links Championship. It was their first DP World Tour event since January 2023. However, both missed the cut. Poulter has since confirmed that he will not return for LIV Golf’s new format, joining Tyrrell Hatton and Lucas Herbert.
Westwood has spent months arguing that the PGA Tour has too much influence over the DP World Tour. In July, he said: “LIV players aren’t allowed to play on the PGA TOUR at the moment, are they? Yet the PGA TOUR gets a certain amount of say.”
The money involved helps explain his concerns. According to Bob Harig’s report on the tours’ year-end figures, the PGA Tour contributed more than $77 million to the PGA European Tour in 2025. That was a big increase from $28 million in 2024. The funding helped the DP World Tour offer a record $153 million in prize money.
In return, the PGA Tour owns a share of European Tour Productions, which handles the DP World Tour’s media and production work. According to the tour’s accounts, as reported by VivaSport, the PGA Tour held a 30% stake at the end of 2025. It is set to receive another 10% by the end of 2027. The alliance also gives the top 10 players in the Race to Dubai who do not already have PGA Tour status a chance to earn PGA Tour cards.
The alliance between the two tours runs until 2035. However, the current funding commitment behind the growing prize pool only runs until the end of 2027. When the directors approved the accounts on June 15, talks about the next phase were still ongoing. No binding agreement had been reached.
Westwood did not explain which assets he was referring to. In February, Golf.com reported that the alliance includes a clause dated December 31, 2027. Under that clause, the PGA Tour could sell its shares back, or the DP World Tour could buy them back. However, it is unclear whether this was what Westwood meant.
The future also remains uncertain because the PGA Tour is introducing a new two-tier system in 2028. Recent reports said the tour had yet to decide what exemptions would be available to DP World Tour players under the new format.
For fans, the debate is about more than which LIV Golf players can return. It is also about how much control the DP World Tour has over its own decisions. Joost Luiten believes returning players should earn their places again. Westwood takes a different view. He wants exempt members to return and other players to go through Q School. He has also questioned how much influence the PGA Tour should have, given the money it provides.
The end of 2027 could be a key moment for the DP World Tour. By then, the tours will need greater clarity on their funding arrangements and the future of their partnership.