So much for Rory McIlroy avoiding golf’s big talking points and concentrating on his own game.
He’s been drawn back into another hot topic and the subject matter won’t come as a surprise – LIV Golf and the Ryder Cup.
Jon Rahm has spoken of his disappointment that he won’t be able to pair-up with fellow Spaniard, Sergio Garcia, in Italy later this year.
He believes ‘politics have got in the way’.
Rory – predictably – is on the other side of the argument and doesn’t want any LIV players in the Team Europe locker room.
He does leave himself a bit open to an accusation of hypocrisy, though, by going on to say that Brooks Koepka deserves to be in the American team after his USPGA victory the other week.
3 W's and counting! #golf #livgolf #BrooksKoepka pic.twitter.com/TKwDko17f8
— Ball Striker (@ArtistGolferJon) May 23, 2023
The Ryder Cup as a whole needs to make sure there is consistency and take it out of the team captains’ hands.
It doesn’t feel right that, as it stands, Koepka would be eligible because of his continued association with the PGA Tour of America but Garcia, Ian Poulter. Lee Westwood and the Europeans who are no longer members of their home tour aren’t.
I don’t actually know if having Brooks, or any other LIV golfer, would be a good thing for America given the strength of feelings that exist about golf’s big split.
And the same goes for the European legends.
The ideal scenario is, of course, the best v the best but that’s not going to happen.
I do think it’s important that neither side feels disadvantaged by an imbalance when it comes to selection.
We’re heading for a tainted Ryder Cup at the moment – and potentially, a tainted result – which would be such a shame.
This week’s column comes from Canada.
I love watching any live sport and I was lucky to get a ticket for the Toronto Blue Jays against the Milwaukee Brewers earlier in the week.
Baseball had me hooked once I got to grips with the basic rules!
The roof of the Rogers Centre was open, which rarely happens, and it was 25 degrees so I couldn’t have picked a better day for it.
Your Toronto forecast: HEAT 🔥💯 pic.twitter.com/FNDtoAlogA
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) May 31, 2023
I’ve watched them a couple times before when I’ve been in Canada but it definitely has a different feel when it’s summer.
And they won 7-2.
That’s not the number that will stick in my mind though.
We think we consume a lot of pies at the football matches but after buying my hotdog, I was told I was one of 50,000 who did the same!
Like every St Johnstone fan, I was sad to read the news that David Wotherspoon won’t be staying at the club for another year.
It must be an incredible feeling to be talked about as the ‘greatest ever’ – especially as a local guy.
It’s sad to see St Johnstone’s most decorated player leave after so long and after achieving so much.
From a manager’s point of view, he has to make the decisions he thinks are best for the team, it’s as simple as that.
But for fans, we can only say ‘thanks for the memories and good luck for the future’.
Conversation