By John Huggan
It went public just before the Open Championship in July. After more than 24 years together, it was announced that 10-time European Ryder Cup player Lee Westwood would no longer use International Sports Management founder and agent Andrew (Chubby) Chandler to handle his business affairs. And now, after four months of behind-the-scenes negotiations, the formal split between these former close friends is complete.

“Lee and I concluded the legal stuff this week,” Chandler says. “Everything that has to be signed has now been signed. A short statement is all that will be said publicly about that. There is a confidentiality agreement in place. Now we all start again.”

Understandably, long-held emotional ties may take a little longer to heal. Speaking exclusively to Golf World, Chandler expressed some sadness at what has come to pass.

Westwood, the 23-time European Tour winner who is now represented by IMG, wasn’t saying as much, but it is understood that the relationship between the two men is all but non-existent, or “less than zero” as one figure close to the situation put it.

The post Lee Westwood and Chubby Chandler, once close friends, formally part ways as client-agent appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

This is apparently the season for splits. In the wake of player-caddie Phil Mickelson and Jim (Bones) Mackay going separate ways, one of the most familiar player-agent partnerships in the game has come to an end. Lee Westwood has left Andrew (Chubby) Chandler’s International Sports Management company after being a client for 24 years. After former Open champion Darren Clarke, Westwood was ISM’s longest-serving client—and one of Chandler’s closest friends.

According to various sources, the 44-year-old Westwood—who is also currently going though a divorce from wife, Laurae—has signed with International Management Group. Guy Kinnings, IMG’s Global Head of Golf, is another long-time chum of the 10-time Ryder Cup player.

Reached by text, Westwood had no immediate comment to make on his departure from the close-knit Chandler group. Nor did ISM, who also recently lost former U.S. Amateur champion Matt Fitzpatrick.

So far in the 2017 season, Westwood has had four top-15 finishes in 11 European Tour starts and is ranked 57th in the world.

The post Lee Westwood leaves longtime agent Chubby Chandler for IMG appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.