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LIV Golf debate rages on as Lee Westwood and Eddie Pepperell square off on Twitter

Eddie Pepperell lines up a putt - July 2022

It seems the two sides of golf's great divide are not yet ready to call a truce as LIV Golf member Lee Westwood and countryman Eddie Pepperell got into a bitter war of words this past weekend.

Westwood has been one of the more outspoken LIV Golf defectors, recently accusing the PGA Tour players behind the new "high-tech golf league" of hypocrisy for introducing some of the same innovations they had been criticising in LIV Golf not too long ago.

And when Jon Rahm appeared to take a slight dig at Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, two of the central architects behind the new plans, Westwood couldn't resist weighing in.
While speaking to reporters, Rahm admitted he did not know much about the new requirement for PGA Tour players to play in a minimum of 20 events between January and August - a requirement he made it clear he would not be able to meet while also honouring his commitments to the DP World Tour.
"Pfft, me, no, you're asking the wrong guy, if you wanna know about that stuff you know who are the 2 players you have to ask," Rahm said, in reference to Woods and McIlroy.
That led to Westwood posting a sarcastic tweet referring to the so-called "strategic alliance" between the two traditional Tours, a clear dig at the notion that LIV Golf was harming the DP World Tour when players like Westwood are of the opinion that the damage is already being done by the PGA Tour.
But Westwood's DP World Tour colleague Pepperell did not take kindly to his countryman taking a shot.
"Hard to know what to make of you these days Lee," he hit back.
"You've taken the money moving to LIV (which is fine), but surely keeping quiet would be a better, classier way to go about things at this point? Just a thought."
To which Westwood replied: "I nearly missed this tweet Ed. Are you saying I'm not allowed to express my opinion on Twitter? I thought that was what social media was made for?"
"It is! (Wouldn't I know)," Pepperell responded. "Suppose I was just suggesting you read the room. You've done well out of this, and moving forward quietly might be best. We know you think Keith f**ed up and that the DP Tour is in the bin... but yeah, take your cake and enjoy it in the corner."
Westwood had the last word, opting for a more diplomatic response.
"We'll always disagree on this," he said. "I've watched the DPWT and Aus tour + others be bullied by the PGA tour for the last 25 years and don't think we should roll over to them & you think we should be a feeder tour and lose all our best players to them. Thus becoming the 5th best tour."
It wasn't over yet, though, with Golf Digest writer Alex Myers wading into the debate, much to Westwood's annoyance.
"But didn't you join a league bullying everyone with $2 billion to burn that's going to make all the tours weaker and push the DP World Tour onto life support? How did that help the situation?" Myers asked.
"Here comes yet another Golf Digest 'senior writer'!" Westwood shot back. "You know this situation hasn't just happened recently. Why don't you do some proper investigative journalism?"
As the drama around LIV Golf rages on, it seems unlikely this will be the last time the players on the opposite of the debate cross swords.
READ MORE: Rory McIlroy admits it will be 'hard to stomach' seeing LIV Golf rebels at Wentworth

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