19 June 2023 , 22:01
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Lee Westwood has been refused entry into this summer's Senior Open due to alleged outstanding fines owed to the DP World Tour following his move to LIV Golf last June.
Westwood was one of a number of players handed a ban and financial sanctions from the DP World Tour due to their decision to join the LIV Golf setup. Following the ruling upheld by Sports Resolutions, Westwood - along with the likes of Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia - opted to resign his Tour membership.
His decision means he is no longer able to compete in DP World Tour events, or qualify for the European team as either a player or a future captain.
The Englishman turned 50 this year and therefore had plans to enter the upcoming Senior Open at Royal Porthcrawl in July, but these have been scuppered due to his LIV allegiances. As a result an email from tournament hosts obtained by the Daily Telegraph, revealed Westwood's unpaid fines to the DP World Tour is the reason for his declined application.
The email read: "The committee has considered your application and is not willing to approve it, because you have outstanding fines imposed on you for breaching its conflicting tournament regulations. You will therefore be removed from the entry list and your entry fee will be refunded with immediate effect."
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Addressing the claims Westwood revealed in a text message: "I wasn’t aware that people that played in the Senior Open had to be a member of a Tour?. I thought that’s why it is 'Open.'" Until now golf's major tournaments have refused to ban LIV Golf players from entering their events.
Lee Westwood joined LIV Golf last summer (AP)The Senior Open however comes with a difference, due to the event being co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour. Following the initial report Westwood took to social media to claim he was 'unsure' as to which fines remained outstanding, after confirming he had already paid the sanctions handed out by the Tour.
The former world No. 1 aimed his frustations at tournament organisers R&A, who own the event alongside the DP World Tour. Westwood is not the only man who will miss out, after Englishman and LIV star Richard Bland also had his application declined for the same reason.