Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy Don’t See Eye to Eye on Ryder Cup Captaincy

LIV Golf and the Ryder Cup has been a hot topic on both the U.S. and European sides this week.

Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton both filed appeals against the DP World Tour in order to play in events over the next several weeks to qualify for Bethpage Black in 2025.

On Thursday, PGA of America said that it would allow LIV Golf players to be eligible for the U.S. team after a loophole allowed Brooks Koepka to compete on the team in 2023.

Credit: BBC

Now, Ian Poulter, who has been a member of LIV Golf, said in an interview that he would relish the opportunity to captain the European team.

But Rory McIlroy, who is a de facto leader of the team along with Rahm, said that isn’t likely – and it doesn’t have to do with Poulter not being eligible because he plays for LIV.

McIlroy said after his round at the BMW PGA Championship on Thursday:

“With the guys that left, Poulter, [Lee] Westwood, how can these young up-and-comers, you know, build a rapport with them when they are never here? You can’t see them. I think that’s a really important part of a Ryder Cup and a Ryder Cup captaincy. You look at what [current Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald] has done the last few years. He’s really made an effort to come over. He played in the 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.”

McIlroy also had an adventure in the opening round of one of the DPWT’s signature events – somehow birdieing this hole after his club head flew off on impact.

Henrik Stenson was originally the captain of the 2023 European team, but he was removed from that post after joining LIV Golf in the summer of 2022. He was replaced by Donald, who led the team to victory last year in Italy.

Cover Image via Sky Sports