Lee Westwood is not impressed by the $11 million you just won, Jim Furyk. Westwood turned down membership on the PGA Tour next year, citing apathy toward the FedEx Cup.
“I don’t want to be dictated to by having to go to America to play FedEx Cup when it doesn’t really mean that much to me,” said the 37-year-old. “It doesn’t mean enough to me anyway.”
Maybe he wouldn’t feel this way if the Tour Championship was a 32-player match play field, eventually pitting two golfers against each other in a final match for $11 million. (I know it’s a pipe dream, but seriously, how cool would that be? Talk about a real playoff.)
Back to reality. Westwood is pretty staunch in his support for the European Tour, which is refreshingly loyal.
“I had my US Tour card in 2006, ’07 and ’08 and there were times I was teeing up just to make up the numbers. I don’t want to do that again. The only reason I would join the US Tour is for money.
“I don’t see another reason. I like the European Tour and I want to support it. It is my personal preference to play here more,” he said, rejecting the suggestion that it would be harder to maintain, or improve his world ranking, by sticking with the European Tour.
“It is hard full stop. I don’t think it is any harder. I think it would be harder if you were forced into a lifestyle change you didn’t want to see happen. I play well because I am happy. I have my family, my house here.”
We will be seeing Graeme McDowell more around these parts, as he accepted his PGA Tour membership.
“I won’t be playing as many events in America as, say, Luke Donald and Justin Rose, but I am taking up my card,” he said. ”I had one in 2006 but got injured early in that season and now I want to give it a real try.”
Ryder Cup partner Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, said he will cut his appearances in the U.S.
“I will only be playing 25 tournaments in all next year as against 29 on both tours this year,” said the 21-year-old Northern Irishman. ”I only want to play in tournaments that really mean something and not just turning up to some events because I think I should be there.”
(AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
Great news! It’s always a difficult choice to watch an event that when Westwood is playing. Makes my golf viewing much better!
[...] Lee Westwood is not impressed by the $11 million you just won, Jim Furyk. Westwood turned down membership on theRead the Rest… [...]
anyone else think it’s a shame Westwood isn’t given uniform every weekend. He look much cooler all Ryder cup weekend than he ever does on tour in his dodgy choice of outfits.
This doesn’t surprise me nor do I care. He is very talented…but I would never watch or NOT watch a tournament because he is in the field. This is exactly what Phil would do if he was from Europe…he wants to be close to home and besides, I don’t think ANY of us are very impressed with the FedEx Cup.
Westwood has never been fond of playing in the US. Now that he’s wealthy, the only reson he comes over at all is because 3 of the 4 majors are played here.
I disagree that 2 guys for 11 million would be exciting and in all likelihood would never live up to its expectations. We just saw one of the most exciting pressure packed matches of all time with Mahan vs. McDowell and there was not any money on the line. There was not a lot of birdies and the shotmaking was average (relative to other matches). Nevertheless something other then money was at stake, it was great theatre.
Here is something for the blog, Top players of the game such as Tiger and Phil primary motivating factor is to play for championships and not money. While the money is nice, it is not on the top of the list on why they play golf. I am not saying all players, just the top players who have stayed at or near the top over extended periods of time.
What do you think?
I can’t stand Lee Westwood’s smug-factor. He claims he’s been the most successful golfer in the world over the last year. He won one time on the PGA Tour and it was the St. Jude Classic that Robert Garrigus threw away. If he wants to play in Europe, that’s cool, but he’ll be playing in weaker fields for less money and his sponsors will pay him less because he won’t have nearly the visibility. Prediction: He’ll be back on the PGA Tour next year.
Also, the dude loses 15 pounds and all of a sudden he thinks he’s Tiger-fit. He’s a dick.
chris from delaware:
take a look at points gained 2010 in the owgr. westwood is actually 2nd in most points gained – behind kaymer…also take a look at his finishes in the majors and overall in his tournaments played 2010.
re: weaker fields. again, take a look at the owgr and see how many europeans actually play on the european tour. wouldnt call that “weak fields” after all.
less money: mh, maybe. but the european tour seems to be way more varying in terms of different type of courses, mentalities and food of hosting regions (think italy, france, spain, scotland, germany etc). and top 30 players of the owgr might make some cash from the appearance fees that are forbidden in the us.
so, why should the guys come over and join the pga tour??
kind regards.
I think 30 years from now, when the season ending FedEx Cup (or whatever it is called by then) is a fully respected and time honored trophy, similar to The Players.. he will regret not being involved, and getting a chance to put his name on it.
The Fed Ex cup is for Kevin Streelman, Kevin Na, and others in the PGA Tour’s middle class (policy board members included).
Westwood should stay off their turf. The Streelman’s and Na’s of the world should be able to make gazillions without such bothersome hinderances like having to deal international elite players.
So the Euro won the Ryder Cup, all of a sudden Westwood and McIlroy are talking smack?
To borrow a phrase from Matty from Survivor: these guys suffer the case of delusion of grandeur.
excellent news.
the fed ex is a terrible system put together by idiots.
why on earth would he want to be involved in it.
Westy – don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
Sure Westwood is at the pinnacle of his career, but he’s forty and without a major and has had repeated problems with injuries. I predict next year won’t be as good as this year for him and that his career will now begin it’s slow slide and he’ll retire, like Monty, without a major.
And is it just me, or doesn’t he look like a Don Martin character from those old Mad Magazines?
And sure the FedEx cup isn’t the be all end all, but the Race to Dubai is even less. And why in the world does the European tour race to somewhere that’s not even in Europe!?!?