Westwood says he is 'unemployed' amid LIV 2.0 uncertainty as Rahm explains exit

Lee Westwood, who tied 14th in last week's Hong Kong Open on the Asian Tour, says he has not signed for LIV 2.0 or held talks with the DP World Tour about a return and described himself as "unemployed" while weighing his options. The 53-year-old spoke about his status in an interview as the future of LIV remains uncertain.

Westwood was among the high-profile players drawn to LIV Golf when the breakaway tour began in 2022. Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) withdrew its backing after having pumped in more than $5bn (£3.8bn), which preceded the league filing for bankruptcy protection last month. LIV has secured a possible $300m (£224m) in financing from BC Partners Credit to try to move forward with LIV 2.0, but only a handful of players have so far committed to the proposed competition in 2027.

Speaking to The Chipping Forecast podcast, Westwood said: "I'm currently unemployed." He added: "There hasn't been anything presented to me that is agreeable for LIV 2.0, there are still a lot of things on that which need fine-tuning. I haven't signed for 2.0. I haven't signed anything."

Westwood acknowledged criticism over joining LIV and the personal cost of that decision, which included losing the chance to captain the European Ryder Cup team in 2023, and said he would have "been stupid" not to secure his finances. "I've made a fortune over the last four and a half years," he added, with reports stating he won £16m in prize money on the LIV tour. He also said: "I don't really have to play golf again, but I still love playing golf so it's given [me] the option what to do over the next few years."

Fellow European Ryder Cup player Jon Rahm said he left LIV because he "wasn't willing to follow the path" the league was taking as it fought for survival, speaking publicly for the first time since reaching a separation agreement in October. At the Abu Dhabi Championship, Rahm said: "As much as I liked the project and the idea on, let's say, LIV 1.0, I wasn't thrilled with the changes they were doing to 2.0." He added: "It wasn't anything special, anything that stood out. I just didn't like where they were going with 2.0." Rahm joined LIV in a deal reported as $300m (£222m) and, according to ESPN, left last month with $100m (£75m) still owed on the remainder of the contract. He said: "There were too many unknowns," and: "It seemed like it was going a bit away from team golf. "It became more of a regular tournament. It wasn't really ever much of a consideration." Rahm is among several big-name players to leave LIV in recent weeks, including Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Tyrrell Hatton and Graeme McDowell.

Westwood said he still sees potential in a restructured LIV, commenting: "With the way the business was structured, there was too much waste really," and adding: "I think there is a business there - if LIV 2.0 gets off the ground it will be a successful business. Can they get the players? Time will tell." If he does not rejoin LIV, Westwood could pursue a return to the DP World Tour; he has won 25 times on that tour and played in 11 Ryder Cups, but re-entry would require accepting a 10-tournament suspension imposed after he resigned his membership to join LIV.

Westwood said he has not yet had formal discussions with the European Tour, adding: "I'm yet to have everything put out in front of me. I've not really had any sort of dialogue with the European Tour." He continued: "I know that if I sign up on 12 November, I've got to serve a 10-tournament suspension, which takes me through the South African Open. "The first event I could play would be Turkey in May. But I'm not even sure about that yet."