Lee Westwood: Englishman refuses to discuss proposed Saudi super league after signing NDA

Lee Westwood has refused to discuss a proposed Saudi Arabian-backed golf super league because he has signed a non-disclosure agreement.

The Englishman, 48, was asked for his thoughts on the format of the proposed league before playing this week's Saudi International event on the Asian Tour.

Westwood declined to comment and inferred that he had signed a legal document preventing him from doing so.

This suggests he has been approached to sign up to the super league concept.

On Tuesday, the Daily Telegraph reported that fellow Englishman Ian Poulter is weighing up an offer of up to £22m to join the Saudi-funded project.

Players who sign up face potential bans from the American-based PGA Tour and European-based DP World Tour, as well as the Ryder Cup.

In May 2021, Westwood said that an offer of around $50m to play the Saudi circuit would be «a no brainer».

On Wednesday, the former world number one was asked by a reporter at the Saudi International: «What do you think of the proposed format of the super league, the team aspect of it? It's a little bit different from the 72-hole strokeplay norm.»

Westwood replied: «I don't know whether I want to answer questions on that. I've signed an NDA.»

It is expected that any Saudi super league would involve a team format but Westwood would only speak in general terms on that subject. «I think golf has got to move with the times,» he said.

«And become more heat-of-the-moment, volatile and impactful right from the word go. Certainly if you do it like the team aspect, there's more action happening in more different places.»

This week's event at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City was previously staged on the European Tour but is now the flagship tournament of