Lee Westwood quits Chubby Chandler's ISM

Lee Westwood has left Chubby Chandler’s ISM management group after 24 years, and made a surprise move to IMG. What on earth is going on?

Westwood, along with Darren Clarke, was one of Chandler's first clients when he founded the agency back in 1991. Westwood is now set to sign with IMG, where IMG’s golf supremo, Guy Kinnings, will likely manage him.

ISM confirmed the move to Telegraph Sport on Tuesday but declined to make any further comment.  There are rumours of a legal dispute between Lee and ISM, but no further information is available, and Lee Westwood offered no further comment to Telegraph Sport, nor was there any comment on his Twitter feed.

Lee and Chubby were very tight, and both had a share in the racehorse Hoof It, which won the Stewarts’ Cup at Glorious Goodwood back in 2011.

It’s not the first lose for ISM, who have in the past managed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Charl Schwartzel and Matthew Fitzpatrick.

But Chubby will doubtless cheer himself up with the knowledge that ISM, in which Lee was a also a share–holder, still manages the likes of Darren Clarke, Louis Oosthuizen, Danny Willett and the up–and–coming American Peter Uihlein.

Also in his stable are both Anirban Lahiri and Ryan Fox, who have both just secured their places at the 146^th The Open. Lahiri makes his first Open appearance on the back of Scott Piercy’s decision to withdraw, despite having an exemption.

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