Rory McIlroy tells LIV Golf defectors why they can’t be Ryder Cup captains

Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter’s decisions to join LIV Golf may have ended a career dream, according to Rory McIlroy.

The Northern Irishman can’t see either being Ryder Cup captains as a result.

The pair are both Team Europe legends, with Westwood winning on seven occasions, and Poulter five, with the latter garnering the nickname ‘The Postman’ as he always delivered in the competition.

The duo both made the controversial decision to accept the riches of LIV Golf in 2022, abandoning the European Tour on their way.

The divorce became messy with both leaving in order to avoid fines for their decision to join the Saudi Arabian breakaway league.

Yet that call may now have robbed them of one of their greatest career honours, replacing Luke Donald as Team Europe captain for the 2025 edition in New York.

McIlroy, Europe’s headline act, was asked about the possibility of either replacing Donald and gave some honest views.

“I think it’s hard because we don’t really see them anymore,” he said. “I’m not sure if Poults gave up his European Tour Membership. 

“You need someone around that’s comfortable. You look at what Luke 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.

“With the guys that left, Poulter, Westwood, how can these young up and comers 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.”

Donald himself only became captain after Henrik Stenson was disqualified for joining LIV.

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McIlroy then went on to discuss Poulter as a Donald replacement, but not under the current circumstances.

He added: “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.”

The previous edition of the Ryder Cup saw McIlroy write his name into the history books again, overcoming an emotional time in Rome to lead underdogs Europe to a dominant victory.