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Sir Nick Faldo recently gave his two cents on the ongoing debate around LIV golfers and the Ryder Cup.
He didn’t hold back from slamming LIV Golf in a recent interview. The legendary golfer dubbed it a “meaningless tour,” and went on to rip its players as well. He said that their time at the prestigious international event was “done.”
Faldo was speaking in an interview with Sky Sports’ Jamie Weir when he made strong comments about LIV Golf and its players. The six-time major champion chose the PGA Tour supporters’ side.
He stated that players who choose to join the new Saudi-backed golf league should stay away from the international cup event. The legendary golfer said that the players were on a “rival tour” and thus, couldn’t be a part of the event.
Speaking amid the ongoing legal battle to determine LIV golfers’ role in DP World Tour events, including the Ryder Cup, Nick Faldo said:
“They’re done. It’s a rival tour. If you work for a company for 20 years, and you then leave to go to a rival company, I can promise you your picture won’t still be on the wall. You’ve moved on. Fine, off you go."
He added:
"They made that decision, and I’m sure they knew it was going to cost them. They were playing the math game. They were getting a huge chunk of money up front, and they knew it was going to lose them sponsors, but they thought, ‘I still win.'”
Faldo joined a series of experts and players who shared similar thoughts on LIV Golf. The legendary golfer took a similar stance to European captain Luke Donald, who opted against backing LIV players for the upcoming event in Italy.
Nick Faldo on Ryder Cup stalwarts missing the event
Currently, Saudi-backed series players can compete in the event if they earn enough points to receive an automatic selection. However, this seems unlikely as LIV events don’t garner official ranking points. Ryder Cup stalwarts like Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, and Ian Poulter are all likely to stay out of this year’s event due to their defection.
Faldo, an 11-time Ryder Cup participant and European captain in 2008, also commented on this. He said that ace players missing call-ups isn't necessarily a bad thing.
He said:
"They're all at the age where Europe needs to find a new breed of 25-year-olds that can play half a dozen or more Ryder Cups, and I think we're going to have that.”
However, it is worth noting that several young stars like Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, and Bryson DeChambeau will also be missing out on the field.
The Ryder Cup is scheduled to start on September 29, 2023, at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Italy. It’ll be interesting to see if any LIV golfers find their way into the European or US squads for the international event.
