Poulter and Westwood Too Distant for Ryder Cup Captaincy
Rory McIlroy believes that former European Ryder Cup stars Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, who defected to LIV Golf, are no longer in a position to captain the European team. Their departure from the DP World Tour and involvement with LIV Golf has, in McIlroy’s view, distanced them from the current European players.
Poulter and Westwood resigned from the DP World Tour in 2022 to avoid paying fines after joining LIV, which is backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF). However, Poulter has expressed hope in an interview with Al Arabiya English that he could one day still captain the European team.
McIlroy, a prominent critic of LIV, feels otherwise. “With the way things are now, you need someone who’s present and visible, and that’s just not them anymore,” said the Northern Irishman. He added that the pair’s absence from the European Tour, following a bitter split, makes it unrealistic for them to be considered for future leadership roles in the Ryder Cup.
Poulter, 48, played a key role in five European Ryder Cup victories and is especially remembered for his part in the “Miracle at Medinah” in 2010. Westwood, 51, holds the joint record for the most Ryder Cup appearances by a European player, with 11 matches. Both have ambitions of captaining the team but are currently removed from European golf’s inner circle due to their involvement with LIV.
McIlroy highlighted current captain Luke Donald as an example of what’s needed in a future leader, noting how Donald has stayed close to the players by participating in European Tour events and building relationships with up-and-coming stars.
Meanwhile, McIlroy is gearing up for the PGA Championship at Wentworth, following a near-miss at the Irish Open where Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard came from behind to win by one shot. Despite the narrow defeat, McIlroy remains optimistic, saying, “I didn’t feel like I lost it; I felt like Rasmus went out and won it.”
