"I think it's a shame" - When Rory McIlroy got candid about Lee Westwood ending Ryder Cup career

Rory McIlroy shared his thoughts in the past when Lee Westwood ended his Ryder Cup career. In 2023, Westwood, along with Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, and Richard Bland, withdrew from their DP World Tour membership. These golfers resigned as there was a series of sanctions and fines imposed upon them by the European Tour after they participated in LIV Golf events.

However, to be eligible for the European Ryder Cup team, one has to have a DP World Tour membership. For example, LIV golfer Jon Rahm got selected for the 2025 European Ryder Cup team after continuing his DP World Tour membership, and he has already played in three European Tour events in 2025, meaning his membership will continue in 2026.

After Lee Westwood and others were suspended from the European Tour, Rory McIlroy shared his thoughts on how it ended their Ryder Cup career, especially at a time when they were the highest scorers in the biennial tournament and could have chased further records in their international careers. He said (via Mirror.co):

“I think it's a shame that you've got the highest points scorer ever in the Ryder Cup [Garcia] and two guys [Poulter and Westwood] that when they look back on their career, that's probably going to be at least a big chunk of their legacy is the roles that they have played in the Ryder Cup for Europe.” “For those three guys to not captain Europe one day, it's a shame. But as the DP World Tour said in their statement, at the end of the day that was their choice and they knew that these were potentially going to be the consequences of those choices and of those actions and here we are. Yeah, it's certainly a shame,” he added.

Westwood was a part of 11 Ryder Cup appearances, out of which he was a part of seven triumphs, including the ones in 1997, 2002, and 2004, and four losses.

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Lee Westwood takes a swipe at Rory McIlroy for his LIV Golf remarks

LIV Golf is set to undergo a major format change in 2026. As declared earlier this month, the breakaway league has decided to switch to a 72-hole format from their previous 54-hole system. This means the tournaments will run for four days instead of three.

Commenting on this change, Rory McIlroy termed it a ‘peculiar move'. McIlroy further elaborated on the fact that LIV Golf was trying to fall back on traditional golf norms to get OWGR points. However, he explained that since many golfers fell down the rankings on the OWGR list, it would be tough for them to go back up.

After Westwood came to know Rory McIlroy's words, he replied (via Golf Monthly):

“He'll change his mind for next week.”

The next LIV Golf event will be LIV Golf Riyadh, which will be held at the Riyadh Golf Club in February. Thus, it will be the first tournament of 2026 that will follow LIV’s new format.

Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar