McIlroy calls for changes to Ryder Cup selection rules
Send a link to a friend
[November 02, 2016]
(Reuters) - Former world number
one Rory McIlroy has urged the European Tour to scrap its
controversial rule barring non-members of that tour from competing
in the Ryder Cup, the Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday.
According to McIlroy, the absence of United States-based Englishman
Paul Casey for that reason "definitely hurt" Europe's bid to win the
biennial team competition for a fourth successive time in Minnesota
last month.
Holders Europe lost to the United States by a crushing 17-11 margin
at Hazeltine National, prompting the European Tour to consider
changes to its selection criteria for the 2018 edition in Paris.
"It should be the best 12 players from Europe versus the best 12
players from the U.S.," Northern Irish world number two McIlroy was
quoted as saying. "For me, there shouldn't be anything to do with
membership of tours.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Nov/02/images/ads/current/christian_village_sda_031616.png)
"To have a guy like Paul Casey not on our team when he is playing
some of the best golf in the world right now, it definitely hurt us
(at Hazeltine)."
Casey, the world number 12, has recorded four top-four finishes in
his last six starts on the U.S. PGA Tour and would have been one of
the hottest players on the European team at Hazeltine had he
qualified for selection.
However, the 39-year-old is based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and has
opted not to retain membership of the European Tour where he would
have to compete in a minimum of five tournaments outside the four
majors and four World Golf Championship events.
[to top of second column] |
![](../images/110216PICS/sports63.jpg)
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland in action. REUTERS/Aly Song
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Nov/02/images/ads/current/mb_heating_quarter_FHI_2016.png)
Europe captain Darren Clarke added three wildcard picks to the nine
automatic selections to round out his team for Hazeltine but McIlroy
would like to see the entire 12-man lineup qualify on merit in the
future.
"I know that isn't as exciting in terms of captain's picks and
qualifying process and everything else," McIlroy told the Nolayingup
podcast.
"But if we're trying to make it the fairest way for the best 12 to
make each team, I think that's the way to go."
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes; Editing by Ian Ransom)
[© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2016 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Nov/02/images/ads/current/ldn_more_sda_121715.png) |