{"id":9299,"date":"2023-09-30T06:04:14","date_gmt":"2023-09-30T06:04:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/absent-ryder-cup-veterans-missing-being-here-says-mcilroy-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2023-09-30T06:04:14","modified_gmt":"2023-09-30T06:04:14","slug":"absent-ryder-cup-veterans-missing-being-here-says-mcilroy-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/absent-ryder-cup-veterans-missing-being-here-says-mcilroy-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"Absent Ryder Cup veterans ‘missing being here’, says McIlroy | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nROME:
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Rory McIlroy on Wednesday said European stalwarts absent from this week’s Ryder Cup<\/a> in Rome after joining LIV Golf will be “missing being here more than we’re missing them”.<\/p>\n

McIlroy is the most experienced player on either team as he prepares for the start of his seventh Ryder Cup on Friday.<\/p>\n

The event will be the first without any of Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia or Ian Poulter lining up for Europe since 1995 after the trio signed with Saudi-backed LIV and resigned from the European Tour.<\/p>\n

“It’s certainly a little strange not having them around,” McIlroy<\/a>, who has been an ever-present at the Ryder Cup since making his debut in 2010, told reporters.<\/p>\n

“But I think this week of all weeks, it’s going to hit home with them that, they are not here, and I think they are going to miss being here more than we’re missing them.”<\/p>\n

McIlroy was a vocal critic of LIV when the rebel circuit was first launched, but has commented less on the rift since a financial merger with the PGA and European tours was announced earlier this year.<\/p>\n

“It’s just more I think this week is a realisation that the decision that they made has led to not being a part of this week, and that’s tough,” the Northern Irishman clarified.<\/p>\n

“The landscape in golf is ever-changing and more dynamic, and we’ll see what happens and whether they will be part of it in the future.”<\/p>\n

McIlroy is the third-oldest player in Luke Donald’s European team, which includes four rookies, a far cry from when he first played as a 21-year-old at Celtic Manor.<\/p>\n

He was widely criticised for comments made in 2009 calling the Ryder Cup “an exhibition” and “not that important”.<\/p>\n

The four-time major champion read out those quotes in a social media video released by the European team earlier this week, jokingly asking “who said that?”.<\/p>\n

“I think in 2009, I was just so focused on myself and trying to get my career off the ground that I felt like I had sort of bigger and better things to achieve for my individual goals and stuff like that, that I just didn’t put any emphasis on making a Ryder Cup team,” he said.<\/p>\n

“Until you make one, and then you never want to be off one again.<\/p>\n

“I think that’s sort of the crux of it. So I love being a part of this team. My most enjoyable moments in my career have been being a part of European Ryder Cup teams.”<\/p>\n

The new-look European side will be trying to wrestle back the trophy from the United States following a record 19-9 defeat at Whistling Straits in 2021.<\/p>\n

Justin Rose, who missed out on selection two years ago, is the elder statesman this time around at 43.<\/p>\n

“You start to get the rookies off to a good start this year at home, and suddenly you start to blood some of the future with positive experiences,” said former world number one Rose.<\/p>\n

“Yeah, the transition starts… But the more we can blood the younger generation coming through, the quicker you’re going to skip through that transition phase.”<\/p>\n

Europe will start their bid for a seventh consecutive home victory on Friday morning in the opening foursomes matches.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n