Here is the reason behind world number 1 Lee Westwood's decision not to play at the Players Championship in May, considered the toughest field in golf and the fifth major, and it all comes down to his decision not to play primarily on the PGA tour this year, and also to the rules the PGA tour has governing non members
Clearly this will cause a controversy over here, but it is simply a result of the hectic world wide schedule that he is committed to..
Here is what he told the media in Abu Dhabi just minutes ago..
Reuters..Lee Westwood has defended his decision not to play in golf’s unofficial fifth major at the Players Championship and criticised PGA Tour members for not coming over to Europe.
The British world number one finished joint fourth last year at one of the sport’s most lucrative events (Players) and his decision will not please the PGA Tour, which would want the world’s top-ranked player in the elite Sawgrass field. “I am not a member of the PGA Tour so I don’t need to play the event,” Westwood told Reuters after posting a three-under-par 69 in the Abu Dhabi Championship first round on Thursday.
“After the two opening World Golf Championships (events) I would bracket our (European Tour) PGA Championship in May as just as important as it offers exemption for anybody in the world’s top 50 to play,” he added.
“I don’t see many of them (Americans) wanting to take up that offer. So you can’t really please everyone, can you?”
A non-PGA Tour member is entitled to accept three invitations, and if he is inside the top-50 in the world rankings, can contest the Players Championship.
Westwood has accepted invitations to play the Honda Classic in March, the Houston Open the week before the year’s first major at the U.S. Masters in April, and the St. Jude Championship in June where he is the defending champion.
The Englishman will also play three events in a row starting with the Feb. 23-27 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona, the Honda Classic and the WGC-Cadillac Championship.
“Even with an invite I would not be able to prepare properly and that’s not the way to go into a big event like the Players,” added the 37-year-old Englishman. “I can understand what the PGA Tour might feel about my decision and they have every right to think that.”
Westwood intends to take a week’s break when the Players tournament commences on May 12 at Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida.
“I wouldn’t want to be playing in the Players Championship given that I wouldn’t have played (on the U.S. Tour) since the Masters in early April,” he said.
Westwood will also play in the inaugural Indonesian Masters at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club in from April 21-24 before taking part in the Ballantine’s Championship in South Korea the following week.
Here is Lee's proposed schedule for the early part of 2011
20 - 23 January 2011
Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship: Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Abu Dhabi, UAE
03 - 06 February 2011
Commercialbank Qatar Masters: Doha Golf Club, Qatar, UAE
10 - 13 February 2011
Omega Dubai Desert Classic 2011: Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, UAE
23 - 26 February 2011
WGC - Accenture Match Play Championship: Ritz Carlton GC, Dove Mountain, Marana, Arizona, USA
03 - 06 March 2011
The Honda Classic: PGA National Champion Course, Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA
10 - 14 March 2011
WGC - Cadillac Championship: Doral Resort & Spa, Doral, Florida, USA
31 March 2011 - 03 April 2011
Shell Houston Open: Redstone GC Tournament Course, Humble, Texas, USA
07 - 10 April 2011
MASTERS TOURNAMENT: Augusta National, Georgia, USA
21-24 April 2011
Indonesian Masters- Royal Jakarta GC
28 April 2011 - 01 May 2011
Ballantine's Championship: Blackstone GC, Icheon, Seoul, South Korea
June 09 - 12
FedEx St. Jude Classic..TPC Southwind, Memphis, Tennessee
16 - 19 June 2011
US OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: Congressional CC, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
14 - 17 July 2011
THE 140TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: Royal St George's, Sandwich, Kent
11 - 14 August 2011
US PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: Atlanta Athletic Club, Johns Creek, Georgia, USA
Bryan Angus
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