Lee Westwood is just one of the golfers who decided to terminate his membership with the DP World Tour, unwilling to pay fines. In an interview with The i Paper, the famous golfer talked about the European Tour and said that he has fines of 857,000 pounds that he is not ready to pay.
The experienced golfer, on the other hand, is someone who respects the European Tour, saying that he has supported them since day one. Although he showed loyalty to the DP World Tour, in moments when many did not, Lee feels that he is not appreciated enough by the DP World leaders.
“I don’t have a relationship with the European Tour. I have £857k worth of fines that I appealed against. The appeal went the way of the tour so I resigned my membership because I wasn’t prepared to keep getting fined. I would love to sit down with them and carve a way to come back together. I have supported the tour since the early 90s. During Covid I was one of the few to support their tournaments. Everybody was going back to America to play there because it was easier. I played all the little ones, but they just seem to have forgotten that.”- he said.
Lee Westwood shares his views
Westwood stresses that not all players received the same treatment, emphasizing that Rahm and Hatton received much milder treatment. An experienced golfer is quite frustrated by this situation, labeling such moves as ‘manipulative’.
Lee, on the other hand, is ready to talk and to solve given problems.
“The tour have not treated everyone the same way. They have not treated Rahm and Hatton the same way they treated me, Poults [Poulter] and Stenson and the like. They have manipulated the situation. They haven’t paid their fines either, but their appeal dates have been pushed back until after the Ryder Cup. They have basically kicked the can down the road for those players. They keep fining them but they will be eligible for the team. This is another aspect that has to be addressed if we ever sit around the table.”- he said.
DP World spokesman reacts
The spokesman of the DP World has a different view of the situation, stressing they acted in the right way, saying that every player can be a member of the DP World but respecting the regulations he signs.
The situation is really interesting, and the question is in which direction things will go regarding Westwood, who is obviously tired of the same scenarios week after week. The experienced golfer was hoping for a different treatment, and playing at the Ryder Cup.
The only thing left for him is to be patient.
Tennis World USA