Lee Westwood wants to play in the first Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series event. Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK

PGA Tour: Lee Westwood requests to play Saudi-funded event

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 5/4/22

PGA pro golfer Lee Westwood has put in a request to play in the first Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series event, which takes place in London next month.

"I put a release in with the PGA Tour and European Tour, as many people have," the former world No. 1 told Sky Sports this week. "It's an opportunity to play in a big tournament, against some of the best players in the world, in England. And I love playing in England in front of home fans. So any time there are opportunities like that, I feel like I should take it."

#NEW: Lee Westwood has asked for release to play on the LIV Tour, he confirms pic.twitter.com/CB753Crxyf
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) May 4, 2022

The breakaway tournament, being put together by former golf great Greg Norman, is scheduled to take place at the same time as the PGA's RBC Canadian Open and requires a request to leave the tour in order to participate. Westwood, 49, is the third PGA golfer to publicly say he plans to play an event in the Saudi Arabia-funded tournament.

The LIV Golf series has drawn a ton of criticism and backlash from the golf world because of Saudi Arabia's stance on human rights. PGA notable Phil Mickelson has taken the most heat publicly for supporting the LIV series because of comments he made saying he'll excuse the country's human rights violations to play golf for a lot of money.

"Golf is not the first sport to have links with Saudi Arabia, but it seems to be coming under more scrutiny than anywhere else," Lee said, via ESPN. "I think Saudi Arabia knows they have issues. Lots of countries around the world have got issues. I think they are trying to improve, and they're trying to do that through sport. I think they're doing it a lot quicker than a lot of people are trying to do it. That worries people and scares people because people don't like change."

There is no word yet on if the PGA Tour has granted Westwood's release or if other big-name golfers plan to follow his lead.

More must-reads: