Winning Ryder Cup ‘worth more’ than LIV dispute, says Fitzpatrick
Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick are both likely to make Europe’s Ryder Cup team but have differing opinions on the rest of the line-up.
Matt Fitzpatrick is “not really too bothered” about the prospect of playing alongside LIV Golf rebels in Europe’s Ryder Cup team. Debate around the controversial Saudi-backed breakaway series has dominated this year and is only likely to ramp up further ahead of the Ryder Cup in 2023. Rory McIlroy has been a fierce opponent of LIV Golf, and speaking on Wednesday, ahead of the Italian Open, he reiterated his stance on selection for the prestigious team event.
“If I have said it once, I’ve said it a hundred times: I don’t think any of those guys should be on the Ryder Cup team,” he said.
However, US Open champion Fitzpatrick, McIlroy’s European team-mate, does not agree. McIlroy is set to play the Ryder Cup for the seventh time and already has four triumphs to his name. On the other hand, Fitzpatrick has only been on the losing team, in both 2016 and 2021.
“I just want to win the Ryder Cup,” Fitzpatrick said. “I want to be part of the team myself, but I want the 11 best guys we can get. I’m not really too bothered about where they are going to come from. I just want to make sure that we win, and I think that’s what’s most important. I know other guys might not necessarily agree with that, but I know the winning feeling is worth more than any sort of arguments you might have with other players. There’s one that I had a conversation with last week – I told him I’d happily have him on the team. I’d have no issues.”
Bernd Wiesberger, Paul Casey, Lee Westwood, Sergio García and Ian Poulter were all team-mates of McIlroy and Fitzpatrick in Europe’s 2021 team and have each since played LIV Golf events.