Rory McIlroy has admitted that he would find it difficult to play in the Ryder Cup under certain European stalwarts who left for LIV Golf.
Several European Ryder Cup legends have seen their future hopes of captaincy dented by their decision to resign their DP World Tour membership and join the Saudi-backed breakaway circuit.
Earlier this week, one such player, Ian Poulter outlined his hopes that an easing tensions in men’s professional would eventually afford him the opportunity to fulfil the role.
‘I’m hopeful one day there’s a sense of coming together that would enable the likes of myself… the opportunity to be able to become captain,’ Poulter told Al Arabiya English.
‘Let’s see what happens, there’s going to need to be some compromise. I’m hopeful one day we’ll see it.’
However, McIlroy, while not specifically mentioning Poulter, said he would prefer not to play under certain LIV rebels in future editions of the biennial match play tournament.
‘It’s such a gray area,’ the 35-year-old said ahead of the BMW PGA Championship on Wednesday.
‘There’s some that I would be okay with and others I wouldn’t be okay with. Sorry to put them all in the same bucket.’
When pressed whether a LIV Golfer would be able to fulfill the Ryder Cup captaincy duties, McIlroy had further reservations.
‘I think it’s hard because we don’t really see them anymore,’ he said. ‘You need someone around that’s comfortable.
‘You look at what Luke [Donald] has done the last few years, he’s really made an effort to come over. He played in Czech Republic. He was in Switzerland.
‘He’s making an effort to be around the players and 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, [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.
‘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.’
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