Phil Mickelson, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood Are Ryder Cup Mainstays. What Happens Now?

Before LIV Golf, several longtime Ryder Cup players figured to be in line for captaincies. Joining the Saudi-backed league appears to put that in doubt.

HERTFORDSHIRE, England – One significant potential fallout from participation in the LIV Golf Invitational Series is jeopardizing future Ryder Cup participation. More specifically, serving as captain.

The European side has at least three players competing this week at the Centurion Club who are potential Ryder Cup captains, two who would be virtual locks otherwise — Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter.

Graeme McDowell, thought to have a chance for the 2023 captaincy after Westwood decided to turn it down, is also competing. Henrik Stenson was recently named European Ryder Cup captain for next year in Rome.

"That’s obviously something I have to take into account," Westwood said. "I’m not sure about playing days, I’m 50 next April. Obviously captaincy, that could be in jeopardy as well.

"What I would say is both Ian and I are members of the PGA Tour while we are in the European Tour (now DP World Tour) and that’s had no effect in the past on people having been captains. And LIV Golf is another tour, so why should it be any different?"

The PGA Tour and DP World Tour, of course, would see LIV Golf as a threat. The PGA Tour and DP World Tour have co-existed for years, with members often competing on both circuits.

And the European Ryder Cup effort has long been bolstered by the pride associated with playing for the European Tour and the benefits a successful team has brought to the circuit. Like the U.S. side, membership on the European Tour has been required to participate.

To not have Westwood involved going forward would be difficult to fathom. He tied Nick Faldo last September with 11 appearances for Europe. He played on winning teams in 1997, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2014, putting together a 21-20-6 record.

Poulter’s reputation has all but been built on the back of his Ryder Cup record.

He’s played on five winning teams in seven appearances and has an overall record of 14-8-3. And that includes going 1-2 last year at Whistling Straits.

"We don't know," Poulter said. "I'm interested as you are to see how it plays out. I'd like to think it wouldn't; all the golf that I've played around the world in all the different countries and different tours that I've played on, I don't see why this should be any different.

"But it’s an unknown risk, right? We don’t know how DP World are going to view it, so it’s obviously a factor."

On the U.S. side, Phil Mickelson is a potential Ryder Cup captain and Presidents Cup captain. When Zach Johnson was appointed Ryder Cup captain earlier this year for 2023, he avoided questions about Mickelson’s participation as an assistant.

And Davis Love III, this year’s Presidents Cup captain, said — without mentioning Mickelson by name — that a shakeup in the “order’’ for captaincy might be considered, undoubtedly due to the situation with Mickelson.

"The Ryder Cup has provided so many special memories, relationships, friendships that have been formed those weeks that really have transcended and lasted my entire career, and I’m hopeful to be a part of the Ryder Cup going forward," Mickelson said.