New Europe Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald brushed aside Henrik Stenson’s controversial move to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf by declaring his intentions to lead the continent in Rome next year.
The lucrative series, which is funded by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, has divided golf with the PGA and DP World Tours fractured after the new series poached some of the sports biggest names. Several of the world’s most prominent players have decided to switch to LIV Golf, including the likes of Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, and Dustin Johnson.
In March, Stenson signed a contract that stipulated he could not play in the breakaway league but Ian Poulter’s recent court case led to an injunction to allow the Englishman to play in the Scottish Open - which suggested Stenson could be able to play both. However, it was revealed that the 46-year-old was set to complete a dramatic move to LIV Golf and it is understood Stenson’s signing-on fee was around £40 million.
On his debut at the third LIV Golf event, Stenson secured a two-stroke victory - which took place in Bedminster - to earn a £3.37 million payout, more than the £2.08 million awarded to Australian Cameron Smith for securing the coveted Open title last month. His win comes after the Swede was publicly stripped of his captaincy following his public switch to LIV Golf.
Ultimately, Stenson played his best golf in years to finish 11-under - and he fired a dig at Ryder Cup organisers after securing the win, claiming he felt he played ‘like a captain’. Donald, who has replaced the Swede, is not concerned about his predecessor or his reasoning for the move - and the Englishman declared he is ready to lead Europe at the biennial tournament next year.
“Henrik has made his decisions and he has got his reasons for it. I’m not here to judge that,” Donald said. “But I’m certainly excited about the opportunity.
“When I found out I had a second chance I grabbed at it. This is something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve had amazing experiences in Ryder Cups and this feels like a lifetime achievement award in a way. To be a part of this is truly, truly special.
“I have signed a contract and I intend to see that through. I’m giving you my word that I’ll be here for the next 14 months. The Ryder Cup means so much to me and I’m not going to take this lightly so I’ll see you in Rome.”
On paper, Stenson’s loss is not heavy given the 2016 Open champion and former World No.2 has struggled for form and is without a title in almost three years. However, LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman is proving the breakaway tour can reach anyone in the sport while threatening the legitimacy and prestige of the Ryder Cup, which is considered one of golf’s premier competitions.
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Established Ryder Cup names such as Poulter, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Graeme McDowell have already made the move to LIV Golf. Ryder Cup officials are yet to confirm whether players who have signed up to the Saudi-backed tour will be able to compete at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome next summer.
Players who have joined the LIV Golf series - which is bankrolled by a Saudi Arabian government renowned for their human rights abuses - were handed immediate and indefinite bans from the PGA Tour. The DP World Tour have implied they will fine the rebels and suspend them from future events but they haven’t issued a ban just yet.
The US have also lost stars - Johnson, Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Reed - who have been dealt bans and are therefore ineligible to play in Rome. It places the future of the biennial Ryder Cup in doubt, with so many big names keen to leave in the face of lucrative contracts bankrolled by a Saudi regime with renowned human rights abuses.
