Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood pay fines, but Ryder Cup still elusive

Field Level Media|published: Thu 18th June, 21:41 2026

Aug 22, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Lee Westwood of Majesticks GC walks the course during the quarterfinals of the LIV Golf Michigan Team Championship at The Cardinal at Saint John's Resort. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood have settled their outstanding large fines with the DP World Tour, according to a Thursday report from GolfWeek, but the pair still wouldn't be eligible to serve as Ryder Cup captains.

"Under our current regulations, even if they were to rejoin as members, neither can serve as a Captain or Vice Captain in the Ryder Cup," a DP World Tour spokesman confirmed to GolfWeek.

The duo participated in the first LIV event in 2022, initiating a series of absences from the DP World Tour, during which neither officially resigned until the next season. This series of absences led to multiple fines, and in Poulter's case, he confirmed it was around $1.1 million.

Given the similarity of the violations, Westwood's fine is estimated to be roughly the same.

Poulter had previously rejected the notion of paying any fines whatsoever, also brushing off the possibility that LIV Golf funder PIF should pay any amount either.

"If I personally wouldn't pay the fines myself, why would I certainly put my business partner in that position?" Poulter said in December 2024.

LIV Golf's uncertain future has led both golfers to reconsider their previous stance and pay the fines, according to the DP World Tour.

Yet the fines won't solve all ills. Each would have to serve multi-week suspensions before resuming play (thought to be in excess of two months), and neither could captain the Ryder Cup after a 2017 bylaw was established that said anyone who abandons their membership becomes ineligible to serve in a leadership role for the premier event.

--Field Level Media