Rory McIlroy believes that LIV Golf defectors such as Ian Poulter should not be barred from competing at future Ryder Cups.
Poulter has become synoymous with the biennial Europe vs USA competition during his career, winning it five times in seven appearances and boasting 14 victories from his 25 matches.
However, it remains to be seen if the likes of Poulter and fellow veteran Lee Westwood will be eligible for the Ryder Cup moving forward after signing up for the controversial Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational Series, which hosts its first event at the Centurion Club near St Albans from Thursday.
Poulter and Westwood - as well as fellow Europe stalwart Sergio Garcia - have expressed hope that joining the breakaway tour won’t affect their Ryder Cup status moving forward, though admit the decision is ultimately down to the DP World Tour.
Those that have relinquished their PGA Tour membership will be ineligible for the Ryder Cup, which will next be held in Rome next September, though former world No1 and two-time major winner Dustin Johnson hopes those rules will be subject to change in future.
Meanwhile, McIlroy, who remains a scathing critic of the LIV Golf Series and fully committed to the PGA Tour as he prepares to defend his RBC Canadian Open title in Toronto, believes players competing there should not be banned from the Ryder Cup.
“Yes, I think they should be able to [play in the Ryder Cup],” he said. “They’ve been such a part of the Ryder Cup and look at the history Poults has at the Ryder Cup.
“It would be such a shame for him not to be involved going forward. It’s hard because they are playing in defiance of the Tour but I think everyone needs to get in a room and figure it out.
“I feel like the professional game was on a nice trajectory where everything was becoming more cohesive and now it’s becoming more fractured again and I don’t think that’s a good thing.”
