Tommy Fleetwood to Rory McIlroy your opinions don’t matter’

Tommy Fleetwood on Rory McIlroy’s Comments Ahead of the BMW PGA Championship: Opinions on Ryder Cup Captaincy

Tommy Fleetwood recently weighed in on Rory McIlroy’s comments regarding the future captaincy of Team Europe for the Ryder Cup. This conversation emerges as Luke Donald is set to lead the team once again in next year’s tournament, which will take place at the Bethpage Black Course in the United States. However, the debate around who should captain Team Europe in the future continues to stir, with names like Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood entering the fray. Both players have publicly expressed interest in the role, though their involvement with LIV Golf has complicated their candidacies.

Earlier this week, McIlroy sparked controversy by suggesting that Poulter and Westwood may have missed their opportunity to lead Team Europe due to their departure from the DP World Tour, signaling that they no longer have strong enough ties with the traditional European golf circuit.

Ahead of the BMW PGA Championship, Fleetwood was asked about McIlroy’s stance on the matter. In response, the English golfer downplayed the importance of player opinions regarding captaincy. While acknowledging that a connection between the captain and the team is vital, Fleetwood emphasized that players’ views on the matter are ultimately not as significant.

“There are some obvious names, people who have been integral to the success of Team Europe over the years, like Ian and Lee,” Fleetwood said. “You can’t take away what they’ve achieved for Team Europe in that time.”

However, he added, “Who knows what will happen in the future? But I do feel like, after the last Ryder Cup, Luke was absolutely the right choice for captain. You could tell, not only emotionally, but also in terms of the right decision for the team, that he was the best fit.”

Fleetwood then circled back to the broader point: “Players’ opinions don’t necessarily matter that much. The captain has earned that right, and I believe the most important thing is that whoever is chosen as captain has to have a strong current relationship with the players. Otherwise, it’s going to be difficult to make it work.”

Rory McIlroy, a staunch critic of LIV Golf and its associated players, has made his stance on the matter clear. According to him, figures like Poulter and Westwood, who have opted to align themselves with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour, no longer have the same presence or influence on the European golfing scene. This, he argues, weakens their position as potential Ryder Cup captains.

“I think it’s hard because we don’t really see them anymore,” McIlroy said, addressing the challenge of keeping a connection between LIV players and the emerging talent within Team Europe. “I’m not sure if Poults gave up his European Tour membership. You need someone who is around, someone who’s comfortable with the environment.”

McIlroy praised Luke Donald’s efforts in this regard, pointing to his regular appearances on the DP World Tour and at various European events. “Look at what Luke’s done over the past few years. He’s made an effort to be around the players, especially the younger ones who haven’t been part of a Ryder Cup team yet. He was in the Czech Republic, in Switzerland, making sure he’s present, making the players feel comfortable with him.”

For McIlroy, this active engagement is crucial to building rapport and maintaining the trust and cohesion necessary for success in the Ryder Cup. He highlighted the disconnect between LIV players and the up-and-coming European talents. “With guys like Poulter and Westwood who have left, how can these young players build a relationship with them when they’re never here? You can’t see them. That’s such an important part of Ryder Cup captaincy—being there, being a consistent presence.”

As the debate over future Ryder Cup captains continues, both McIlroy and Fleetwood seem to agree on one thing: the connection between the captain and the players is vital. However, while McIlroy appears firmly against considering LIV-affiliated players for the role, Fleetwood remains more neutral, emphasizing that the ultimate decision rests not with the players, but with those responsible for shaping Team Europe’s future.