Tension between Rory McIlroy and LIV golfers has returned after the Northern Irishman took a cheap shot at Henrik Stenson.
Ian Poulter and other prominent figures in LIV Golf have taken issue with Rory McIlroy after the world No. 2 made fun of former Ryder Cup captain Henrik Stenson. The Swede was scheduled to captain Europe at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome in September 2022, but he lost that position when he decided to sign up for the Saudi-sponsored LIV Golf Tour in July of 2022.
Stenson was replaced by Englishman Luke Donald who successfully guided the hosts to an emphatic 16.5-11.5 victory, ensuring that the Sam Ryder trophy remained on European soil.
But with one of Team Europe’s biggest stars, Jon Rahm, also defecting to LIV Golf last week in a staggering £450m deal, McIlroy has now called for a change to the European rules to allow LIV golfers to represent Europe at the Ryder Cup.
Reacting to McIlroy’s comments and seemingly new position on Ryder Cup eligibility, golf performance coach and pod-caster Lou Stagner wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “I wonder if @McIlroyRory also wants to change the rules so Stenson can captain the team?”
McIlroy responded directly to Stagner and wrote: “The best thing to happen to the 2023 Euro Ryder Cup team was Henrik going to LIV!”
Unsurprisingly, the jibe caused a stir on social media and it wasn’t long before some of LIV’s British players responded.
Ian Poulter sarcastically wrote: “Guys calm down …. This is a parody fake account.. Rory McIlroy wouldn’t say this. it’s fake I promise you. He is a class act and wouldn’t say that about a team mate.”
Englishman Poulter is widely regarded as a hero of the European Ryder Cup team with a playing record that reads 15 wins, eight losses and two halves. But despite appearing in seven previous editions of the prestigious team matchplay event he was ineligible for selection in Rome because he also defected to LIV Golf in 2022.
Lee Westwood, another well-known player from Europe who moved to the breakaway league, also responded to McIlroy’s social media jab at Stenson.
There was one LIV golfer on the USA team, but none on the playing or coaching staff of the 2023 European Ryder Cup team.
Zach Johnson’s lineup featured five-time major winner Brooks Koepka after the American captain disclosed that Koepka was requested to be a wildcard pick by each and every one of his automatic qualifiers.
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