The dream of becoming Ryder Cup captain is over for Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood, Paul McGinley openly states. The former captain harshly criticizes the LIV defectors, whose move to the controversial league and the associated loss of DP World Tour membership destroyed their ambitions. A bitter blow for two legends once considered certain candidates.
McGinley, a Ryder Cup icon himself, takes Poulter and Westwood to task. He sees no further chance for them and predicts that the failure of their captaincy ambitions will be the greatest regret of their lives. The DP World Tour Player Committee shows “no enthusiasm whatsoever” to change the regulations – for McGinley, it’s clear: “The boat has sailed.”
Captain Without Membership?
The root of the problem lies in a 2017 regulation: players who give up their Tour membership are no longer eligible to be Ryder Cup captain. A rule that gained massive significance after Westwood, Poulter, Sergio Garcia, and Graeme McDowell moved to LIV Golf and subsequently withdrew from the DP World Tour. Before the LIV era, these guys were shoo-ins.
Westwood, with eleven appearances, and Poulter, with seven matches, were central figures in Europe's Ryder Cup team for years. They were considered the natural successors, those who would pass on the spirit. What an irony of fate that precisely their experience now becomes a stumbling block.
Comeback with a Catch
Recently, Westwood and Poulter were indeed back on the tee at the DP World Tour, at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October 2026 – their first appearance since January 2023. However, both missed the cut. This short comeback changes nothing about the facts: membership is the crux, not the isolated tournament. McGinley's words are a clear statement and underscore the increasing isolation of LIV golfers.
