Lee Westwood and Eddie Pepperell involved in LIV Golf social spat

Aug 14, 2023

The Framework Agreement was supposed to bring the world of golf together. It hasn’t quite managed it yet by the looks of social media…

You might not be surprised to hear Lee Westwood and Eddie Pepperell got into a spat on Twitter (X) this morning.

It started after a post about the current Official World Golf Rankings from rankings guru Nosferatu.

As we know, no rankings points are awarded for LIV Golf events, which is why we have seen those who made the move drop down the OWGR.

What went down on X then?

After the original post was made about the current OWGR, Westwood responded with a ‘Memoji’ of him crying with laughter.

pic.twitter.com/A8P5fTQXdR
— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) August 14, 2023

Pepperell, known for his jibes on X already, then got involved.

Westwood finished rock bottom at LIV Golf Bedminster shooting 20-over-par across the three rounds at Trump National last weekend.

Pepperell said it was a joke that Westwood was “earning 3X the average annual UK salary in one week for shooting +20 over 3 rounds”.

I’ll tell you what’s a joke Lee; you earning 3X the average annual UK salary in one week for shooting +20 over 3 rounds.
— Eddie Pepperell (@PepperellEddie) August 14, 2023

Pepperell then responded to another X user’s response, saying “Professional golf used to be about playing well to earn money”.

He said it “was not something he could get on board with personally”, in regards to LIV paying players handsomely despite finishing down the leaderboard.

The debate then wandered down the TGL and Player Impact Program route. TGL is the tech-infused golf league and brainchild of Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy which will start in January 2024.

Westwood responded, mentioning the PIP and the “Monday simulator games” – referring to TGL, but Pepperell then produced an insult no one expected:

It’s all laughable. From you earning £100k last week for playing like a turnip to the TGL/PIP.

Pro golf has degraded itself to being just about the money. Maybe it always has been and I’m just naive, but it isn’t doing much to improve the sport and genuinely ‘grow the game’.
— Eddie Pepperell (@PepperellEddie) August 14, 2023

Westwood will now travel to his home venue, Close House, for the International Series this week on the Asian Tour.

He claimed that Pepperell was good at “twisting” words.

You’re excellent at twisting Ed I’ll give you that 👍🏻👌🏼
— Lee Westwood (@WestwoodLee) August 14, 2023

Pepperell came back once more, offering up the argument that the world of golf would have been in a better place if players hadn’t left the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.

Not from the top I’m not!

But pretty sure professional golf would be in a better spot if a few of you stuck instead of twisted.

But money and all that… sure is alluring whatever the implications for the sport.

You go Glen Coco.
— Eddie Pepperell (@PepperellEddie) August 14, 2023

Westwood called out Pepperell’s comments as – Take a look for yourself…