Rory McIlroy has reiterated his opposition to LIV Golf players being allowed to represent Europe in the Ryder Cup. The world No 2 Jon Rahm believes the likes of Sergio García, with whom he formed a successful partnership in 2021, should be able to compete in Rome and said he was sad that “politics have gotten in the way” of the biennial event.
Garcia is the leading points scorer in Ryder Cup history, but made himself ineligible by resigning from the DP World Tour in the wake of increased sanctions being imposed for playing LIV Golf events without permission.
American players remain eligible despite being banned or resigning from the PGA Tour in the wake of joining the Saudi-funded circuit, with Brooks Koepka set to qualify automatically following his victory in the US PGA Championship. “I certainly think Brooks deserves to be on the United States team,” McIlroy said before the Memorial Tournament. “I think with how he’s played, I mean, he’s second in the US standings, [having] only played two counting events. “I don’t know if there’s anyone else on the LIV roster that would make the team on merit and how they’re playing.
But Brooks is definitely a guy that I think deserves to be on the US team. But I have different feelings about the European team and the other side and sort of how that has all transpired and, yeah, I don’t think any of those guys should be a part of the European team.” McIlroy finished in a tie for seventh behind Koepka at Oak Hill, despite struggling with his long game, but the lack of faith in his “biggest weapon” may not prove as much of an issue at Muirfield Village. “I can’t remember a time where I felt so uncomfortable over the ball for four days,” McIlroy said. “The golf course allowed me to