Billy Foster: Ryder Cup legends exile is “incredibly sad”

Billy Foster believes it is an “absolute travesty” that Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter will not have the chance to captain Europe in the Ryder Cup.

Westwood, Garcia and Poulter have all resigned their DP World Tour memberships, meaning their careers in the Ryder Cup are all but over.

The legendary European trio, who have played in 28 Ryder Cups between them, made themselves ineligible for the biennial contest with the USA by handing in their tour cards last week.

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They were facing further punishments after the DP World Tour’s sanctions for playing in the opening LIV Golf event outside London last year were upheld by a sports arbitration panel.

And the exodus means Europe are without three certain captaincy picks for upcoming matches.

Foster, who has carried the bag of both Westwood and Garcia during his distinguished career, has weighed in on an “incredibly sad” outcome for his former colleagues.

“Something needs to be worked out. For me personally for what’s just happened – to Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter – I think it is incredibly sad,” the caddie said.

“You can understand both opinions, I am not saying they should or they shouldn’t.

“I think it’s an absolute travesty that those players, two of whom I caddied for, are not going to be Ryder Cup captains.

“I think that’s incredibly sad for what they’ve done for the European tour and for what they’ve done over the years.

“I know people say they had a choice, they made their bed and they have to lie in it but they are in their late 40s and they’ve been offered an easier life for more money and less tournaments.

“You can’t blame them but they’ve still got a lot to give for the European Tour. So I think it’s incredibly sad.”

Foster, who is set to wear blue-and-gold once more as bagman for US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick in this September’s showdown in Rome, has been in contact with Westwood over his exile.

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“I’ve been in communication with Lee last week,” he revealed. “That will stay private but basically what I’ve just said. It is very sad it’s come to this. It’s wrong but that’s my opinion.

“I totally get the other side of the opinion. I get it. But for me personally, for having grown up for 20-30 years, with these lads and seeing what they’ve done, to see it come to this is incredibly sad.”

Billy Foster was speaking to BoyleSports about Golf Betting.

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.