Former World No.1 Lee Westwood believes the DP World Tour is not "at the same level it was 20 years ago."
The 25-time DP World Tour winner began his pro career on the European circuit in 1993 and ultimately ascended to the summit of the sport with continued success on the Wentworth-based tour alongside a couple of triumphs on the PGA Tour.
Much of Westwood's heyday was split between the two biggest circuits in the world before he opted to join the newly-formed LIV Golf League in 2022, going on to co-captain Majesticks GC alongside Ian Poulter.
With over 30 years experience in professional golf, the 53-year-old has witnessed a great deal of change in golf, including the majority of top European talent going over to the US for much of their regular season rather than sticking around on their home continent.
Not only that, but Westwood has watched the PGA Tour and DP World Tour move on from being rivals to lopsided partners.
Since 2020, the two tours have been part of a strategic alliance, with the DP World Tour losing ten of its leading players to the PGA Tour for much of the subsequent campaign.
And, since 2022, when the initial deal was extended amid the launch of LIV, the PGA Tour has owned 40% of European Tour Productions - up from 15% previously.
The knock-on result of the PGA Tour gaining greater control, according to many people including Westwood, is a far weaker product on the European side compared to years gone by.
Speaking to Golf Monthly's Baz Plummer, Westwood said of his former tour: "I don’t think it’s in the position that it was.
"I don’t think you can give your ten best assets every year to basically your rival, the people that have been trying to put you out of business for the last 25 or 30 years.
"There are some big events – don’t get me wrong – but in general, I don’t think it’s at the same level it was 20 years ago."
And what about the PGA Tour? Westwood has been openly critical of the way modern pro golf is set up in the past but admitted the historic US circuit has plenty of strengths - especially for American golfers.
However, the Englishman shared he grew tired of the States in the end and longed for variety from the game - something he feels is on offer with LIV Golf.
Westwood said: "I enjoyed playing the PGA Tour. The events are great over there. They’re big and they’re shiny. I just felt like I wanted to play in front of other people, not just in America.
"I wanted to play in front of Australians and Japanese and South Africans, and sample those cultures. It gets a bit boring when you’re doing the same thing week in, week out.
"That’s the downside of the PGA Tour. Every tournament feels the same. Whereas if you travel the world, and you’re playing in different countries and on different continents with different cultures, that is more stimulating for me."
You can read the full interview with Westwood in this month's edition of the Golf Monthly magazine, which is on sale now.
