“I think this week is a realization,” Rory McIlroy takes SAVAGE dig at LIV Golfers on missing out 2023 Ryder Cup qualification

Rory McIlroy has once again attacked the LIV Golfers for missing out at a chance at the upcoming Ryder Cup by playing for the Saudi-funded tour.

“I think this week is a realization,” Rory McIlroy takes SAVAGE dig at LIV Golfers on missing out 2023 Ryder Cup qualification

Rory McIlroy at the Ryder Cup press conference (Pic Credit: AP)

The Ryder Cup is now just a day away. The biennial tournament is now in the touching distance. As the players participating prepare themselves for this huge regional showdown in Italy. With the amount of stakes involved, there were obviously going to be some comments made. One such comment made by North Irishman Rory Mcilroy has now grabbed the attention.

The four-time major winner has been highly critical of LIV Golf. Since their establishment till the unexpected PGA-PIF merger, the 34-year-old has fired shots at the Saudi-funded tour. This year the Ryder Cup sees a lot of new faces as several LIV golfers failed to qualify. In fact, reigning PGA Championship winner Brooks Koepka is the only one from the breakaway tour to make his appearance at the tournament.

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McIlroy had earlier claimed that he would have to make new bonds this time around at the Ryder Cup. In his recent comment regarding the LIV players he said,” I think this week is a realization that the decision they made has led to not being a part of this week, and that’s tough.”

Before dropping this huge bombshell on those who missed the tournament he said that “they are going to miss being here more than we’re missing them.” Some notable excludes this year include Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, and Patrick Reed. Garcia though is one of the biggest miss. A recent report suggested he was willing to pay his fine to get a chance for the tournament.

Related: Shane Lowry asserts that ‘statistics’ support his Ryder Cup selection, silencing critics and boosting confidence in Team Europe’s chances

Does Team Europe lack firepower after losing Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, and Lee Westwood?

One of the major talking points this year in golf (apart from the PGA-LIV merger) has been the Ryder Cup. The prestigious event this time features debutants as several experienced players have been missing from the picture. Team Europe was handed a massive blow when Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, and Lee Westwood all resigned from their DP World Tour memberships. As a result of this, they automatically become ineligible to apply as the LIV Golfers are so far banned. This leads to a question – does Team Europe lack the firepower with this trio?

Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood (from left to right) [Pic Credit: Imago/The Guardian]

This trio has been a stalwart for Team Europe in recent years gone by. While Poulter and Westwood have played significant parts in the success of the Ryder Cup, Garcia is the leading scorer for the team. Despite their poor forms, the experience these three carry could have been a valuable asset to the team. The major responsibility now lies on the shoulders of Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, and Jon Rahm.

McIlroy did sound confident in his press conference, however, his form has been shaky at the moment. This same can be said for Rahm as well. The one who is in breath-taking form at the moment is Hovland though. The Norwegian’s back-to-back triumphs at the end of the FedEx Cup makes him one of the feared player on the Team Europe squad.

Perhaps this is now a time for change. Fans of Team Europe would be hoping that the trio of Hovland, Mcllory, and Rahm can replicate the heroics of Westwood, Garcia, and Poulter. The first day of the tournament on September 29 will see four foursomes matches and four four-ball matches.

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