Rory McIlroy Ripped by Lee Westwood for Comments About LIV Golf Players Returning to PGA Tour

Lee Westwood criticized Rory McIlroy on Friday for his stance on LIV Golf players and the value they would bring to the PGA Tour.

Speaking to TNT Sports, Westwood said, "I heard Rory's comments yesterday. I thought Scottie [Scheffler] answered the question well and Rory's answer was just typical of Rory really, it wasn't well thought out. There's a lot of players on this tour who bring value to tournaments."

Westwood was referencing comments McIlroy made this week regarding the possibility of LIV Golf stars returning to the PGA Tour at some point.

When McIlroy was asked about it, he told reporters, "I mean, I would argue, have they brought value to LIV? I think the PGA Tour's in a really good spot."

McIlroy has long been publicly critical of LIV Golf and the players who decided to leave the PGA Tour and join the fledgling league.

While those who made the leap to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf received huge paydays, the league has struggled to gain a foothold in terms of television deals and overall popularity compared to the PGA Tour.

Because funding from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is set to end after this season, there have recently been major question marks about LIV Golf's future.

However, LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil told reporters earlier this month that the league had secured a new investor in order to keep it alive.

On Wednesday, O'Neil told reporters, "We have work to do. There are hurdles we have to jump over. It's a very complex transaction we'll have to deliver. But man, I wouldn't bet against us."

Whether or not LIV continues, McIlroy remains firm in his stance on the matter, saying, "I feel like I've kept my position consistent that LIV has never been a good thing for the game. Whatever [LIV] 2.0 looks like—if it even happens—they're saying they're trying to be more collaborative and all of that, but this [the PGA Tour] is the best platform for the top professional golfers in the world."

The uncertainty surrounding LIV has led to plenty of discussions about what it would look like if LIV Golf players were to flood back to the PGA Tour en masse.

Scheffler, the world No. 1 golfer, seemed more open to the idea than McIlroy, telling reporters he believes there are LIV players "that would provide a lot of value to the tour, and guys that I love competing against as well."

However, Scheffler also advocated for "some sort of penalties" for those who do return.

Under a number of restrictions, Brooks Koepka returned to the PGA Tour in January after a stint in LIV Golf, and he could prove to be the first of many if the new financing plan doesn't work out.