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The LIV golfers’ position on the 2023 Ryder Cup remains unclear due to the LIV Golf vs PGA Tour fight. Amid the confusion, Europe's Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has now hinted that the rebel players might not be playing at the event.
Speaking about his plans for the upcoming Ryder Cup, Donald dubbed it a “great opportunity” for an overhaul. The team skipper said that the event could feature some young blood, who will in turn replace the likes of Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Paul Casey, among others.
The official reason for many players being left out of Team Europe in the international event might be their move to LIV Golf. However, Donald seems to be considering taking in some young performers from the upcoming Hero Cup to play in Rome.
Speaking on the "5 Clubs Podcast" about the upcoming Ryder Cup, Luke Donald said:
"You can get a little bit of an idea from the Hero Cup that’s coming up… First of all, it’s a great opportunity to get some younger guys into the team room, playing together and seeing how they bond. This is an important step to bring a matchplay event back to the European schedule."
He added:
"There are some great young players. I’m very excited about some of the core players who have started playing well again but there’s a new generation of players who are hungry to make that Ryder Cup."
European team to have an overhaul at Ryder Cup
According to the European skipper, the team headlined by Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland and Matt Fitzpatrick will have several young players in it as well. It’s safe to say that Donald will be watching the GB&I vs Europe Hero Cup match in Abu Dhabi next month instead of LIV Golf.
Luke Donald went on to state that the United States team also had an overhaul in the past year.
He said:
"The US team have had a shift where they have gone with younger players with less scar tissue; guys that seem to get on very well. Europe is starting to go through a similar shift… A lot of the guys who have been stalwarts are coming towards the end of their careers.
"I’m not saying they don’t have opportunities to make further Ryder Cups, but it’s becoming less and less likely so we need some of these younger guys to step up and fill some of those holes."
LIV Golf situation in a 'limbo,' says Luke Donald
It is pertinent to note that Luke Donald had advocated for LIV golfers back in October. Speaking about LIV golfers potentially missing out on international events, the European skipper said that all golfers should be given a fair chance.
He added that the world of golf was in a “limbo” when it came to the PGA-LIV fight. Luke Donald told the media:
"We're still a little bit in limbo. We don't know what's going to happen with the lawsuit so I'm trying to not really put too much energy into it. Once we get a clearer picture, I can give you better answers."
It is pertinent to note that both the European and US sides will miss several big names on their teams in 2023. Both Luke Donald and Team USA captain Zach Johnson will have to look at options to fill their squads.
