Tiger Woods would welcome a LIV Golf-style rule change on the PGA Tour if his past comments are anything to go by.
The 15-time Major winner has remained steadfastly loyal to the American-run tour amid golf’s civil war, which began back in 2022 when LIV was launched. The Saudi-backed rebel tour has ripped up golf’s traditional rulebook with shotgun starts, three rounds instead of four and no cuts.
LIV also relaxed the game’s conservative dress code, with players allowed to wear shorts during tournaments. In all other top-level events, like this weekend’s US World Senior Open, players must wear trousers. That has taken some getting used to for LIV Golf star Lee Westwood.
Ahead of the tournament, the former European Ryder Cup hero was asked how he would adjust to playing four rounds again. However, the 51-year-old was more concerned about having to cover his legs up, suggesting he's more comfortable playing LIV Golf events.
“I think I can manage it [72 holes],” said Westwood, who was tied 16th on three-under-par after two rounds, eight shots off the lead.
“It’s playing in trousers that’s bothering me more. 72 holes won’t be a problem. Like I say, it’s looking down and seeing my legs in trousers. I prefer to get my legs out.
“If you notice, most of the guys wear shorts in practice. You can see how many people are comfortable, especially when it gets a bit warm putting a pair the shorts on.”
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Those comments will strike a chord with Woods, who argued back in 2018 that players should be allowed to wear shorts at tournaments. He said: “I would love it. We play in some of the hottest climates on the planet.
“We usually travel with the sun, and a lot of our events are in the summer, and then on top of that when we have winter months here, a lot of the guys will go down to South Africa and Australia where it's summer down there.
“A lot of the tournaments are based right around the equator, so we play in some of the hottest places on the planet. It would be nice to wear shorts. Even with my little chicken legs, I still would like to wear shorts.”
PGA Tour players must wear formal attire and trousers and aren't allowed to wear shorts when competing due to a strict dress code policy, though the guideline was altered in 1999 to enable golfers to wear shorts during Pro-Am and practice rounds.