As ever, Rory McIlroy has been highly critical of LIV Golf after their latest format change.
LIV Golf elected to move away from its 54-hole format to a more traditional 72-hole format, in the hope that its players can earn points in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Rory McIlroy was sceptical that LIV’s change would have an impact on its ability to grant its players OWGR points.
Prior to the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, he said to reporters, “I think it is a peculiar move because I think they could have got ranking points with three rounds. I don’t think three rounds versus four rounds is what was holding them back.
“It brings them back into not really being a disruptor and sort of falling more in line with what everyone else does. But if that’s what they felt they needed to do to get the ranking points, I guess that’s what they had to do.”
The comments from the 2025 Masters winner weren’t taken kindly by LIV Golf star Lee Westwood, who was fiery in his retort.
Lee Westwood fires back at Rory McIlroy’s LIV Golf comments
Westwood, a two-time winner on the PGA Tour before he left for LIV in 2022, didn’t hold back in his response to McIlroy.
Speaking to talkSPORT, he said, “I don’t pay too much attention to what Rory said, really. He will change his mind next week.”
That could be a nod to McIlroy walking back his harsh criticism of players who defected to LIV in 2024.
Westwood went on to say he supported LIV’s changes, adding, “I think it’s good for the players and good for the sponsors. I think it’s good for the fans more than anything, they get to see another day’s golf.”
Lee Westwood says PGA Tour’s major championship successes led to LIV format change
One of the PGA Tour’s major successes last season was its players winning all four majors. McIlroy won the Masters, J.J. Spaun won the US Open, and Scottie Scheffler had a dominant 2025 to claim victory at The Open Championship and the PGA Championship.
That played a significant role in only three LIV Golf players competing at the Ryder Cup. Westwood believes that the LIV players’ struggles at majors in 2025 contributed to their decision to change format.
He said, “I think that is one of the angles behind it [changing to 72 holes]. There were a few different things. I think some of guys, they focus their whole season around the major championships and I think playing 54 holes was putting them at a bit of a disadvantage.
“I think they wanted to play 72 holes that represented more the major championship format.
“I think world ranking points is one of the things on LIV’s mind. I don’t know if it’s one of the criteria or not, as there are 54-hole tournaments that have got world ranking points before. But I think the boxes that you need to tick with the world rankings, 72 holes, probably helps that.”
If LIV is successful in gaining OWGR points, it could lead to a significant shift in the golfing landscape, with more players potentially defecting from the PGA Tour. And while both McIlroy is sceptical of this having a significant effect, only time will tell.
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