Lee Westwood takes a jibe at Rory McIlroy after the latter

Lee Westwood Responds to Rory McIlroy’s Criticism of LIV Golf

Lee Westwood responded sharply to Rory McIlroy after the Northern Irish golfer criticized LIV Golf’s decision to expand tournaments from 54 to 72 holes starting in 2026. The move is part of the Saudi-backed league’s plan to better align with traditional professional golf formats.

Rory McIlroy's View

Speaking before the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links, McIlroy described the change as “peculiar,” noting that it undermines LIV Golf’s founding concept of being distinct from the PGA and DP World Tours.

“It goes against the league’s original idea of being different,” McIlroy said.

He emphasized that the extended format contradicts LIV’s identity, given that “LIV” represents the number 54 in Roman numerals—the original number of holes in each event.

LIV Golf’s Reasoning

LIV Golf executives reportedly aim to help players earn Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, which they have been unable to collect since joining the league in 2022.

Lee Westwood’s Response

In an interview on talkSPORT’s Breakfast Show, Westwood dismissed McIlroy’s remarks and supported the new format. He said several players had requested longer tournaments to better prepare for major championships.

“A longer format will make competition tougher and help align LIV with top-level golf,” Westwood remarked.

Summary

McIlroy remains skeptical of LIV Golf’s shift to 72 holes, while Westwood champions it as a positive step that strengthens the league’s competitiveness and credibility.

Author’s summary: Westwood defends LIV Golf’s 72-hole expansion, countering McIlroy’s criticism that it betrays the league’s founding identity.

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Sportskeeda Sportskeeda — 2025-11-06

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