‘You’ll be irrelevant’ European legend tears into LIV golfers over Ryder Cup exile 

Tony Jacklin is adamant that Europe’s exiled Ryder Cup legends should not be allowed to return under any circumstances.

Four-time Ryder Cup captain Jacklin has told bunkered.co.uk that the glut of European stars who defected to LIV Golf will soon have to accept their fate as “irrelevant” in the biennial dust-up.

Jacklin has no sympathy whatsoever for the likes of Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson, who are all currently banished from the showdown against the USA.

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The quartet are ineligible having resigned their DP World Tour memberships and it is still unclear whether they will be able to return to the blue and gold picture in any capacity in the wake of golf’s murky framework peace agreement.

Jacklin, however, strongly believes that decision should be out of their hands.

“They shouldn’t have anything to do with it,” the two-time major champion insisted. “I don’t think they realised the significance of what they did when they signed their lives away.

“There’s consequences to live with. They were convinced that this was the right thing to do and maybe they didn’t see the full picture. They signed for obscene amounts to secure their future and it’s not that complicated. We’re trying to complicate it by saying, ‘should they be in the Ryder Cup?’ No they shouldn’t be in the Ryder Cup.”

The impassioned Jacklin added: “I’ve seen what they’ve done in the Ryder Cup – it gave me pleasure. But they’ve signed up for something else and some newcomers will take their place. Somebody will carry on from where they left off. It’s an opportunity for somebody else to do it.

“You learn very quickly that as you get older that you become irrelevant. I am irrelevant. I’ve got my memories and respect from most people but you are just a memory. That’s what they’ll become. After their LIV contract is over they’ll become a spare part.”

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The case of Stenson in particular is unique given he was stripped of the captaincy after making a U-turn and deciding to jump ship for the LIV circuit.

The 47-year-old opened the door to a Ryder Cup return this week by saying that he “hopes to see a different future down the line.”

But Jacklin, who noted that he shares a great deal of mutual respect with “nice guy” Stenson, has shut down the Swede’s optimism completely.

“He made the choice for his future and his family but that will go down as his legacy – being the only Ryder Cup captain that got kicked out,” the 79-year-old said.

“Ryder Cup captains since my tenure have been from the generation just ahead of the players. That’s what we’ve got now with Zach Johnson and Luke Donald. But once you’re outside that window, you’re out of touch with what’s going on on the main tour.

“If he ever got the opportunity in the future he’d be too old anyway probably. When you’re not playing with these guys on a weekly basis you do get out of touch and, as I experienced, you become the guy that did, the guy from yesterday. It’s just a natural process.”

There is also some concern that a permanent expulsion of the LIV players would wreck Europe’s future captaincy options in upcoming duels, as well as potentially damaging the viewing spectacle with greats of the contest no longer involved.

But Jacklin, who played in seven Ryder Cups and won two matches as captain, thinks it is time for Team Europe to move on.

“People will step into their shoes as sure as night follows day,” he said. “Nobody is that important. They’re not the only choices.

“There’s guys who chose not to sign with LIV like Luke. Then the next Ryder Cup will be two years down the road and I’m sure there’ll be other very worthy candidates as well.”

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.