Rory McIlroy against LIV golfers joining Team Europe at Ryder Cup, but thinks Brooks Koepka should play for US
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Published 31/05/2023 at 18:15 GMT
Rory McIlroy has been a consistent voice against LIV Golf and the players who left the DP World Tour in order to join the Saudi-funded breakaway series. Ahead of this week's Memorial Tournament, McIlroy has made it clear he does not want LIV Golf players on Team Europe at the Ryder Cup, but thinks Brooks Koepka has earned the right to play for the United States.
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Rory McIlroy has reiterated his stance about not wanting any LIV Golf players in Team Europe at this year’s Ryder Cup.
It comes just a day after world No. 2 Jon Rahm suggested he would welcome players from the breakaway tour, including Sergio Garcia, into the team.
Rahm said: “It’s a little sad that politics have gotten in the way of such a beautiful event.
“Again, it’s the best Europeans against the best Americans, period. And whatever is going on, who is playing LIV and who is not playing LIV to me, shouldn’t matter. It’s whoever is best suited to represent the European side."
McIlroy disagrees with Rahm, but surprisingly thinks Brooks Koepka - who plays on the LIV tour - should be in the United States line-up for the tournament, which begins at the end of September in Rome.
“I certainly think Brooks deserves to be on the United States team," McIlroy said.
“I think with how he’s played, I mean, he’s second in the U.S. standings, only played two counting events.
“I don’t know if there’s anyone else on the LIV roster who would make the team on merit and how they’re playing. But Brooks is definitely a guy who deserves I think to be on the U.S. team."
Koepka has only been able to gain ranking points through majors, and has left himself in a good place for Ryder Cup qualification against his compatriots with a second-placed finish at The Masters, along with victory at the PGA Championship.
Those feats saw him rise to second in the American Ryder Cup standings - with 1,537 more points than third-place Xander Schauffele.
However, despite not elaborating too much, McIlroy has once again made it clear how he feels about the European players who jumped ship from the DP World Tour, including Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson, who was originally supposed to be captaining Team Europe. He has been replaced by Luke Donald.
“I have different feelings about the European team and the other side and sort of how that has all transpired”, McIlroy said.
“I don’t think any of those guys should be a part of the European team."
McIlroy was speaking ahead of playing at the Memorial at Muirfield this week.
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