Lee Westwood requests releases to play in Saudi-backed golf event in London

Former World No. 1 golfer Lee Westwood told Sky Sports on Wednesday that he has requested releases from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour to play in the first Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series event in London next month.

Westwood, 49, told Sky Sports that any impact on his future candidacy as captain of the European team in the Ryder Cup is «in the European Tour's court.»

«I put a release in with the PGA Tour and European Tour, as many people have,» Westwood told Sky Sports. «That's kind of the stage we're at and anything after that is just ifs and buts and speculation. It's an opportunity to play in a big tournament, against some of the best players in the world, in England.»

Because the first LIV Golf Invitational event — scheduled June 9-11 at the Centurion Club, outside of London — conflicts with the RBC Canadian Open in Ontario, PGA Tour players will have to receive a release from the tour to compete in the other event.

Six-time major champion Phil Mickelson and Robert Garrigus are the only other PGA Tour players who have publicly acknowledged asking for a release, although it's believed that many others have.

LIV Golf chairman Greg Norman told ESPN on Monday that the series had received more than 200 registrations from players who want to be part of the 48-player field in London. The players will compete on 12-man teams in a 54-hole event with no cut and shotgun starts.

Norman said two players previously ranked No. 1 in the world and about 15 of the top 100 players in the world rankings are among those who have registered.

The LIV Invitational Series regular-season tournaments will have a $25 million purse, with $20 million going to the top individual players and $5 million to the top three teams.

Westwood, an