Rory McIlroy gives cryptic response on Ryder Cup captaincy potentially going to LIV Golfers

Rory McIlroy is at the Wentworth Golf Club for the 2024 BMW PGA Championship. He competed in the celebrity pro-am along with Gareth Bale and Stuart Broad. After the pro-am, McIlroy attended a press conference where he gave a cryptic response to Team Europe's Ryder Cup captaincy.

In the press conference, a journalist questioned McIlroy regarding LIV golfer Ian Poulter's statement that he still hopes to captain Team Europe in the Ryder Cup.

"I think it's hard because we don't really see them anymore, especially -- I'm not sure if Poults gave up his European Tour Membership. You know, you need someone around that's comfortable," McIlroy said. "It's such a gray area. 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."

"You look at what Luke 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 make the players feel comfortable with him, the newcomers that haven't had a chance yet to be on a team or trying to make a team," the Northern Irish golfer added.

Team Europe during the Ryder Cup Practice Rounds in 2021 - Source: Imagn

Rory McIlroy said players such as Poulter and Lee Westwood, who joined LIV, won't be able to build that rapport with youngsters as they are never in Europe competing on the Tour and believes it is a crucial part of Ryder Cup captaincy.

Despite that, McIlroy believes Poulter has the credentials to be a Ryder Cup captain, but given the current state of the game, he doesn't see any LIV golfer becoming a Ryder Cup skipper.

"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," McIlroy said.

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When will Rory McIlroy tee off in the 2024 BMW PGA Championship?

Rory McIlroy at the BMW Championship - Final Round - Source: Imagn

Rory McIlroy is paired with Justin Rose and Ryan Fox for the first two rounds at the 2024 BMW PGA Championship. For the first round, McIlroy and his group will tee off at 8:45 am local time and 12:25 pm local time on Friday.

The 35-year-old golfer is the top favorite to win this week and has 11/2 odds going into the 2024 BMW PGA Championship. McIlroy has registered two wins on the PGA Tour and has come close to winning on plenty of occasions this season, including a runner-up finish at the 2024 US Open.

Mcllroy is coming into this event with a runner-up finish at the 2024 Irish Open, as he narrowly missed out on winning on home soil. He will look to maintain the same momentum this week and get across the line.