Rory McIlroy feels “betrayed” by former Ryder Cup team-mates

Rory McIlroy admitted feeling “betrayed” by former Ryder Cup team-mates who have defected to LIV Golf.

McIlroy has partnered the likes of Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Graeme McDowell in the biennial clash – but their future participation is in doubt after they joined the Saudi-backed rebel tour.

In a wide-ranging interview with Ewan Murray of the Guardian, the 33-year-old described the current picture as “polarising” and called his former team-mates’ actions “disruptive”.

“I think it is the first time in my life that I have felt betrayal, in a way,” McIlroy said.

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“It’s an unfamiliar feeling to me. You build bonds with these people through Ryder Cups and other things. Them knowing that what they are about to do is going to jeopardise them from being a part of that ever again? There was a great opportunity for GMac to maybe be the captain at Adare in 2027. Most of Sergio’s legacy is Ryder Cup-based, same with Poulter, Westwood.

“I would like to think the Ryder Cup means as much to them as it does to me. Maybe it does. But knowing what the consequences could be, I just could never make that decision. OK, it might not be 100% certain but that it could be the outcome? It just isn’t a move I would be willing to make. I thought they felt the same way.

“I feel like the place where they have been able to build their legacy and build their brand, they have just left behind. You could make the same argument about me, I started in Europe and went to America but I have always been supportive of the traditional system. If people felt so aggrieved about some things, I’d rather be trying to make those changes from inside the walls than trying to go outside and be disruptive.”

Despite feeling aggrieved by his colleagues’ respective decisions to sign with LIV, McIlroy also believes the feud between rival factions has got “out of control”.

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“If the two entities keep doubling down in both directions, it is only going to become irreparable,” he added.

“We are going to have a fractured sport for a long time. That is no good for anyone.”

McIlroy’s war of words with LIV CEO Greg Norman has been a recurring theme of 2022, and he accused the Australian of having a “vendetta”.

“He has basically found people to fund his vendetta against the PGA Tour,” he said.

“I think he hides behind ‘force for good’ and all that stuff… this has been his dream for 30 years and he has finally found people who can fund that dream.”