May 31, (THEWILL) – Rory McIlroy has restated his position on not including any LIV Golf players in Team Europe for the upcoming Ryder Cup.
This reaffirmation comes in response to Jon Rahm, the world’s second-ranked golfer, who expressed his openness to having players from the breakaway tour, such as Sergio Garcia, join the European team. Rahm had said: “It’s a little sad that politics have interfered with such a magnificent event. It’s about the best Europeans against the best Americans, period. Regardless of who is playing in LIV or not, it shouldn’t matter. It’s about whoever is most capable of representing the European side.”
Contrary to McIlroy’s opposition of Rahm’s position, he surprised many by suggesting that Brooks Koepka, who plays on the LIV tour, should be included in the United States lineup. In preparation for the tournament starting in late September in Rome, McIlroy stated: “I definitely believe Brooks deserves a place on the United States team. With his performance, I mean, he’s second in the U.S. standings, having played only two counting events.
“I’m not sure if there’s anyone else from the LIV roster who would make the team based on merit and their current form. But Brooks is certainly a deserving candidate for the U.S. team.” Koepka’s qualification for the Ryder Cup against his fellow countrymen has been primarily through major championships. His strong performances, including a second-place finish at The Masters and a victory at the PGA Championship, propelled him to second place in the American Ryder Cup standings, with 1,537 points more than Xander Schauffele, who holds third place.
Despite not providing extensive details, McIlroy has reiterated his stance on the European players who defected from the DP World Tour, which includes players like Garcia, Ian Poulter, and Henrik Stenson, who was initially set to captain Team Europe but has been replaced by Luke Donald.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
