Lee Westwood settled his LIV Golf dispute today—but warned the DP World Tour it’s making a costly mistake. The Majesticks GC co-captain believes that the DP World Tour’s alliance with the PGA Tour risks long-term damage. He spoke on the matter at a press conference on Tuesday, July 21, at the JCB Golf and Country Club ahead of LIV Golf United Kingdom.

“Yeah, it’s going to certainly suit certain players for going over there whose ambitions are to play the PGA TOUR. But from a business point of view, it can’t be good for the European Tour to give your 10 best players every year, 10 of your best assets, away to what is a rival tour when you’re looking at the schedule and where tournaments are played from around January to August, which is what the PGA TOUR seems to be focused on, even though those 10 cards aren’t getting into the biggest events over there. They’re getting in a few of the events. They’ll probably be called tier 2, isn’t it, for next year.

“It’s a short-term view, I think. The winners in it are the PGA TOUR because 10 players going over there, they’re maybe going to pick up one future star. But that’s not great for the European Tour.”

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3451

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The PGA Tour, DP World Tour, and Asian Tour recently signed a new multi-year agreement. The deal extends the Strategic Alliance first signed in 2020 and will now run through 2029. It aims to strengthen collaboration on scheduling, commercial growth, and international opportunities for players. However, a key provision remains: each year, the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai hands cards to its top-10 finishers who don’t have PGA Tour status, allowing them to play in the United States the following season.

Recent migrations include players like Marco Penge and Kristoffer Reitan, both top-10 finishers in the Race to Dubai. Even the Open Championship winner, Ryan Fox, also followed a similar arc, although without the 10-card route. He established himself on the DP World Tour to earn PGA Tour status and now rarely plays in Europe.

Westwood adds that the long-term impact of talent migration could go beyond the finances. He warns that talent migration weakens fan connection and tour identity. As the PGA Tour splits into Championship and Challenger series in 2028, he doubts promoted players will break into top-tier fields.

Despite his critique, Westwood remains loyal to the DP World Tour.

“Yes, that’s my home tour; it’s where I grew up playing golf. It’s a 34-season career. I’ve been a PGA Tour member for about six of those years. I won twice there. Didn’t take my PGA card up for those years when I could have.”

His 25 European Tour titles and 2010 world No. 1 ranking underscore his stake in the tour’s future. He has now moved to reconcile the relationship with them. How it turns out for him and the DP World Tour remains to be seen.