Majesticks GC co-captains Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter believe LIV Golf is becoming “more and more accepted” and helping to “grow the sport.”
From the moment LIV Golf hosted its first event in June 2022, it was under scrutiny, with many players who postponed events on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour facing a backlash.
Former world number one Lee Westwood and 12-time DP World Tour champion Ian Poulter have been members of the LIV Golf Alliance since the inaugural event in June 2022 at Centurion Golf Club.
The two Brits are co-captains of the Majesticks GC, with Henrik Stenson and Sam Horsfield as third co-captains. Westwood made it clear from the outset that he wanted to play in the LIV, while Poulter shared his reasons for joining the Saudi-backed golf league in the first season of Netflix's Full Swing.
Westwood and Poulter have been criticized for participating in the LIV Golf Tournament, but they feel the criticism is no longer as negative.
“LIV Golf seems to have turned things around. It feels like it’s become more popular.
“Now I am rarely asked about playing in Russia. It seems that people are now beginning to understand what golf is about, are beginning to see it as a different form of golf and are beginning to enjoy it more.
“People get hung up on ‘LIV Golf is trying to grow the game of golf,’ and that seems to piss them off a little bit. I don’t know why that pis …
“Ian, Ian and many other players have been working to grow the game of golf for 25 years. I have run golf schools, academies and junior golf tournaments since the early 2000s,” Westwood said.
The 51-year-old has been working to grow the game of golf for many years, competing on the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour. Between the two tours, he has 27 wins combined, earning him the No. 1 ranking in the world. Now, he finds himself continuing to grow the game with the LIV Golf League.
Westwood is not the only Majesticks GC team member to hold these beliefs, with his close friend and co-captain expressing the same thoughts, “Ultimately, we’ve gotten away from some shame and some boring problems that were tiresome,” added Poulter.
“We can actually start talking about the good things we’ve done, are doing and are making progress on.
“We can create bigger and better things to help this game grow as quickly as possible.”
One way Majesticks GC aims to grow the game is through the community impact program Little Sticks. Another option Westwood and Poulter discussed is supporting the next generation of golfers through the Majesticks GC Academy.
One player Poulter was happy to accept into the academy was his son Luke, who is currently playing golf at the University of Florida.
Speaking about the possibility of Luke Poulter joining the LIV Golf League and Majesticks GC, the 48-year-old said: “He [Luke] Hopefully he can take over from me as a Majesticks GC player one day, and we'll see how he does in the next three years of college. My biggest hope is that Luke can wear a Majesticks GC jersey.
LIV Golf will likely attract more college golfers and players on smaller tours, especially after seeing Bryson DeChambeau’s success at the U.S. Open and Richard Bland’s success at the 2024 Senior PGA Championship and 2024 Senior Open.
Both golfers have won major championships, dispelling the notion that LIV Golf is inferior to the PGA Tour or DP World Tour. Westwood credits LIV Golf with giving Brand a “reinvigorated and huge boost.”
If that is indeed the case, then I am sure the two-time senior major champion will be happy that he postponed his participation in the DP World Tour and will play on the 2022 Saudi-backed tour.
Westwood was also full of praise for DeChambeau, not only for his performances and achievements on the course, but also for what the two-time major champion has done to advance the sport.
“I think what Bryson does, especially on his YouTube channel, is let you see a side of him that people haven’t had a chance to get to know as well,” Westwood said.
“I think that’s one of the things about LIV Golf — they allow you to do that, whereas other tours might be too tight on your media rights and not allow you to do that.”
About the Author
James Hogg – Golf Equipment Writer
James has a degree in English Language from Newcastle University and an MA in Journalism from Kingston University.
In addition to his studies, he worked for American Golf for seven years as a member of the sales and fitting team, specializing in putters, golf balls and apparel.
James took up golf as a teenager, and thanks in large part to the length and consistency of his drives, he has a 4.7 handicap at Cleveland Golf Club.
You can contact James via email for more information on golf equipment.
