Rory McIlroy explains problem LIV defectors would have as Ryder Cup captains

With the Solheim Cup wrapping up Sunday in Virginia, the next American-European showdown will be on the men’s side, when the Ryder Cup kicks off at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y., next fall.

There are already a ton of storylines, for Bethpage and beyond. Among them for 2025: will any LIV golfers be on Europe’s roster? Since the last Cup, Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton have left for LIV, which would rob Europe of two formidable players (not to mention the ones who previously left for LIV).

As for a storyline for further down the road: Can — or should? — LIV defectors be used as team captains? Think Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia or Henrik Stenson, the latter actually set to be captain before he signed with LIV.

Rory McIlroy says it’s not that simple.

“I think it’s hard because we don’t really see them anymore; I’m not sure if Poults gave up his European Tour membership,” said McIlroy, speaking at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Golf Club on Wednesday. “You know, you need someone around that’s comfortable. You look at what Luke [Donald] has done the last few years, he’s really made an effort to come over. He played in Czech Republic. He was in Switzerland. He’s making an effort to be around the players and make the players feel comfortable with him, the up-and-comers that haven’t had a chance yet to be on a team or trying to make a team.

“With the guys that left, Poulter, Westwood, how can these young up and comers, you know, build a rapport with them when they are never here?” he continued. “You can’t see them. I think that’s a really important part of a Ryder Cup and a Ryder Cup captaincy. I’m not saying that Poulter doesn’t have the credentials to be a Ryder Cup captain, but I just think with the current state of where everything is, you need someone that’s around and showing their face as much as they can. Right now, that honestly just can’t be them because they are elsewhere.”

Some of Europe’s Ryder Cup veterans who left for LIV were a big reason for the team’s success over the U.S. during their prime — Europe was 6-1 from 2002 to 2014 — and all were thought to be eventual captains, especially Poulter, who played in seven Ryder Cups and was 15-8-2 in them. Equally important, he was the lifeblood of the European teams he was on.

However, the DP World Tour players who bolted for LIV were subsequently fined and suspended, although there is a way for those players to still remain Ryder Cup eligible.

If those players pay fines and serve suspensions, they could regain membership and Ryder Cup eligibility, although for the latter they’d still have to play at least four DP World Tour events, although that shouldn’t be an issue for players hoping to earn Ryder Cup consideration.

In a recent interview with Al Arabiya English, Poulter said: “The rules that have been set in place are difficult — there’s no compromise. I think everyone is aware that players need to play their minimum amount on the European tour to be able to be eligible to play. It’s difficult for me personally — I find myself in a tricky position, where I’m not a member, and I obviously can’t become eligible to be part of a team or even help out as a vice captain or captain unless I do become a member again. It’s not the best scenario, but it’s one that the tour is sticking to.”

Asked about Poulter on Tuesday, Justin Rose, another European Ryder Cup mainstay, said he thinks the sport needs things to “accelerate quickly” when it comes to its divide and Ryder Cup eligibility.

“I can definitely see that pathway [for him to be captain someday],” Rose said, “but I think the world of golf needs to make it happen, as well.”

Asked if he’d have objections to playing on a team captained by Poulter, Westwood “or whoever else could potentially be,” McIlroy said: “It’s such a gray area. There’s some that I would be OK with and others I wouldn’t be OK with.”

Josh Berhow

Golf.com Editor

As GOLF.com’s managing editor, Berhow handles the day-to-day and long-term planning of one of the sport’s most-read news and service websites. He spends most of his days writing, editing, planning and wondering if he’ll ever break 80. Before joining GOLF.com in 2015, he worked at newspapers in Minnesota and Iowa. A graduate of Minnesota State University in Mankato, Minn., he resides in the Twin Cities with his wife and two kids. You can reach him at joshua_berhow@golf.com.