While LIV players are looking forward to the Mayakoba event in just four weeks, ex-European Tour players were told by Sir Nick Faldo, that this year’s Ryder Cup was over.
These days, there is not much love between the 1996 Masters 1 and 2.
The ‘unofficial tour’ has witnessed greater momentum behind TGL tours, with Collin Morikawa joining Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas and Justin Thomas in the technology-led midweek League in 2024.
Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods, fiercely anti-LIV Tiger Woods, may have led the two-time major champion to take a swipe at the Saudi-backed league by stating in a press release that:
I believe the TGL design to offer sports fans the best of the best in a weekly primetime golf competition will appeal to a wider range of casual golf fans as well as introduce our sport’s sport to younger players.
McIlroy and Morikawa, JT, and Rahm will all be playing at Marco Simone Club later in the year. Faldo is not certain who will be there, but he knows who should be.
Some of the most prominent players in the Ryder Cups have been Ian Poulter and Martin Kaymer as well as Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, and Graeme McDowell. Faldo believes this makes it easy to join LIV.
When interviewed by on Sky Sports News, Faldo stated that they shouldn’t be there as they’ve left and you have to move on.
Retired broadcaster and Ryder Cup player, the 11-time Ryder Cup player, admitted that their age is definitely against them. However, with no Ryder Cup points or official ranking given to LIV results, it will be almost impossible for any of the former stalwarts in Italy to make a comeback.
This is subject to the outcome of a hearing that will challenge any ban or restrictions by PGA Tour.
Luke Donald is aware that Henrik Stenson, the LIV player and the original European team captain, was sacked in three months. Faldo suggests that this is the right time to bank on the rookies.
“They are [European LIV players] at the age when Europe needs to find a new breed 25-year-olds who can play half a dozen Ryder Cups or more, and I think that we’ll have that.”
He said, confidently, “They’re done.” Before continuing: “It is a rival tour. If you have worked for a company for 20+ years, and then you leave to join a competitor company, I can assure you that your picture will not be there. You have moved on. You’re now free to go .”
Faldo stated, “They made that choice and I’m certain they knew it would cost them.” They were playing the maths games. They were playing the maths game.
Faldo also made comments on the LIV tour, including his thoughts on Greg Norman’s organization, which he beat six shots to win the 1996 Masters.
Faldo stated, “It’s [LIV] closed shop: 48 guys are given lots of money.” It’s not growing golf. That is what bothers me. It really irritates me when people fly to a country where golf has been played for over 100 years and then say that they are growing the game.
The 65-year old said this about his rival, whom he had split eight major titles over a 10-year period starting in 1986.
He was a great golfer. He was an exciting, charismatic golfer who has absolutely destroyed all that.
