Rory McIlroy acknowledges Brooks Koepka's Ryder Cup worthiness but stands firm on European LIV Players' exclusion from the tournament

Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy opined on Wednesday that Brooks Koepka should have the chance to play in the Ryder Cup next September. However, he feels completely the opposite about the European players in LIV Golf.

World No. 3 Rory McIlroy issued such statements from the Muirfield Village Golf Club in Dublin, Ohio, a venue from Thursday of the 2023 Memorial Tournament.

At the pre-event press conference, McIlroy had no qualms about supporting Koepka. However, he was unwilling to do the same for the Europeans ahead of the Ryder Cup, despite the apparent contradiction involved.

Here's what McIlroy had to say, according to Golf Digest:

“I certainly think Brooks deserves to be on the United States team. I think with how he's played ... I mean, he's second in the US standings, [and] 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."

He added:

“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."

Rory McIlroy did not, however, elaborate on his statement.

The media presume that by referring to "how that has all transpired", McIlroy is alluding to the arbitration that some players resorted to against the DP World Tour. This came about at the end of the previous year.

However, it is worth noting that the arbitration was decided in favor of the circuit for the measures taken against those players who went to the LIV Golf tour. Also, a group of the initial claimants withdrew from the legal proceedings, such as Sergio Garcia, Charl Schwartzel, and Branden Grace.

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Rory McIlroy at the Ryder Cup

Rory Mcilroy has been called to represent Team Europe in six consecutive editions of the Ryder Cup (2012, 14, 16, 16, 18, 20). With the Northern Irishman's demeanor, the Europeans have won four times.

Rory McIlroy playing at the 2020 (2021) Ryder Cup (Image via Getty).

Among McIlroy's participations in the Ryder Cup, the half point he obtained in the 2010 edition to obtain the final victory is well remembered.

His victory over Keegan Bradley in the last round of the 2012 edition, after arriving only 12 minutes before the time set for his tee off is also prominent. He was assisted by a police escort during this and by a PGA America employee who, years later, would become his wife: Erica Stoll.