McDowell to join PGA Tour; Westwood stays loyal to Europe
Jessica Hardy
Published Apr 12, 2026
Graeme McDowell has had the most successful year of his career after winning the U.S. Open and Ryder Cup.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell plans to take up PGA Tour card in 2011
- McDowell's Ryder Cup teammate Lee Westwood will stay on European Tour
- World No. 2 Westwood can topple top-ranked Tiger Woods this weekend
- Another Ryder Cup winner, Rory McIlroy, plans to reduce his playing schedule next year
(CNN) -- Ryder Cup hero Graeme McDowell has revealed he will join the U.S. PGA Tour next year, but Europe teammate Lee Westwood insists he will not be switching allegiance.
U.S. Open champion McDowell, who beat Hunter Mahan in the deciding singles match at Celtic Manor on Monday, told reporters that he plans to try to qualify for the lucrative FedEx Cup playoffs.
"I won't be playing as many events in America as, say, Luke Donald and Justin Rose, but I am taking up my card," the Northern Irishman said on Wednesday.
"I had one in 2006 but got injured early in that season, and now I want to give it a real try."
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But world No. 2 Westwood, who can topple Tiger Woods from the top of the rankings if he finishes first or second at the Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland this week, has decided to stay on the European Tour -- which he won last year.
If he succeeds, he will be the first European golfer to reach No. 1 since compatriot Nick Faldo in 1994.
"The FedEx Cup sits right in the middle of the kids' summer holidays, and I like going on holiday with them," said the Englishman, who has twice finished second in major events this year.
"I don't want to be dictated to by having to go to America to play FedEx Cup when it doesn't really mean that much to me. It doesn't mean enough to me, anyway.
"I think they [the PGA Tour] would like me to go and be a member there, but as of Monday evening I became an individual again and I do what's right for Lee Westwood now."
The 37-year-old could end Woods' five-year reign even if he took the next fortnight off, but has decided to defend his Portugal Masters title next week as well.
"That's not me. That's not the way I want to do it. I want to get to world number one by playing the way I have for the last two years and proving I'm the best," he said.
Woods, who has struggled following his return to action after his well-publicized marital problems, will not play again until November, when he plays tournaments in China and Australia.
Westwood is paired with Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy for Thursday's opening round at Gleneagles, and the 21-year-old Northern Irishman revealed that he will be cutting back his schedule next year.
McIlroy played on both circuits this year after finishing second overall in Europe in 2009, making his breakthrough triumph on the PGA Tour at Quail Hollow in May.
"I will only be playing 25 tournaments in all next year as against 29 on both tours this year," he said.
