HENRIK STENSON HAS been dropped as captain of Team Europe for the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome.
The Swedish star is reportedly on the brink of joining the controversial Saudi-backed LIV series, the breakaway tour which has caused a deep divide at the highest level of professional golf.
Stenson missed the cut at last week’s British Open, and later said his upcoming schedule was ‘undecided’.
His switch to the LIV series has yet to be confirmed, but Ryder Cup Europe have acted quickly by stripping the 46-year-old of the captaincy ahead of next year’s tournament in the Italian capital.
A statement from Ryder Cup Europe reads: “Ryder Cup Europe today confirms that Henrik Stenson’s tenure as Captain of Team Europe for the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome, Italy from September 25 – October 1, 2023, has been brought to an end with immediate effect.
“In light of decisions made by Henrik in relation to his personal circumstances, it has become clear that he will not be able to fulfil certain contractual obligations to Ryder Cup Europe that he had committed to prior to his announcement as Captain on Tuesday 15 March, 2022, and it is therefore not possible for him to continue in the role of Captain.
“Confirmation of the new 2023 European Ryder Cup Captain will be made in due course.
“Ryder Cup Europe will be making no further comment on any aspect of the process until that time.”
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Love to see Harrington get another go
@Declan Snow: I’d say Paddy has eyes on multiple Senior Tour majors and is still competitive on the regular tour on some courses. I’d expect it to be Thomas Bjorn again. Shame as I think Stenson would’ve done a great job. He’s got a very sharp wit and his style would’ve been different. In reality though, it is only a matter of time before the 3 tours need to find a way to work together. 4 or 5 more big names due to jump ship soon so common sense will have to prevail eventually.
@Rory O’Connor: you’ve gotta figure at some point theyll have to come to some form of a common ground. But that may not be that soon. Waiting game I’d imagine
@Declan Snow: He’s already said he doesn’t want to do it again
@Declan Snow: Yes, give it to those that’s worthy.
@Rory O’Connor: common sense is not that common
Ryder cup captaincy is a massive honour that most golfers dream of.
To be giving that up shows how much money the Saudis must be throwing at players
@dave keane: Trump is heavily involved in LIV which is not a great endorsement for it.
How much money is enough. These guys are mega rich. It’s just pure greed.
There will be no incentive to compete as they get their mega-millions regardless.
The whole ethos behind the Ryder Cup competition is shot.
I liked how honest Harrington was about the LIV thing. I’m paraphrasing a bit but the gist of it was that he was happy he wasn’t asked ’cause he would have found it tough to turn around in years to come knowing that he’d left 50 million quid on the table… It’s easy to be critical from a distance and/or when you’re never going to be in that position, but anyone would find it hard to turn down that sort of money. And as much as I’m a McIlroy fan, it’s a bit, eh, rich of him to bang on about financial ethics when he’s on a 200 million dollar contract to be decked out from head to toe in clothes stitched together by a child in an Indonesian sweatshop.
@Stiofán Ó’Murchú: real kudos has to go to the PGA too for managing to convince half the world that they disagree with this tour or moral grounds, money makes the world turn and none of it is really all that clean.
@Stiofán Ó’Murchú: Tiger was offered half a billion but turned them down.
@Stiofán Ó’Murchú: if you don’t think McIlroy was offered close to what Tiger was, considering Tiger is on his last legs, I don’t think you’ve been paying attention the Greg Norman
Such a shame to see such a brilliant pro sport being ripped apart by greed. They’ve gone after Stenson for no other reason than to disrupt the Ryder Cup and make more headlines. Rules out all the Westwood, Sergio, Poulter, Gmac all out of future captaincies or playing roles too.
We are in trouble if any more big names go, hard to know where the integrity is in golf anymore
Give it to Christian Horner or Toto Wolff
@#JUSTICE4NOEL: Brian Coady would give it a shot.
@Billy McNamara: I’d say Brian Cody would be even better
I am obviously not a professional sports person but a fan but if I was offered the amount of money some of these golfers are reportly been offered I would take it. I think it is a bit rich saying the golfers are greedy. I actually think the majority of people would take it.
If you feel bad about the Saudis don’t buy fuel don’t watch Newcastle forget about Stenson. As a golfer Stenson is on the way down the rankings. Maybe he is rich already or maybe he gives money to charity like Sadio Mane. Who are we to judge a golfer .
@Tony Talbot: Nobody cares if a tour pro in their 40s coming to end of their career goes to LIV tour. But Stenson accepted the Ryder Cup captaincy and committed to the DP World Tour/European tour for next two years. He was their representative for one of biggest competitions in golf. And he took the captaincy despite being linked with LIV. He knew he was going to leave and took it it boost his price. It’s a massive f**k you to European golf.
Give to Jimenez… he wanted it before and I’m sure the European lads wil respect him as he is a legend in fairness!!
@David O’ Sullivan: good shout !
@David O’ Sullivan: Just thinking that with Franky Molinari as vice captain. But they probably play safe with Luke Donald
Such a shame to see such a brilliant pro sport being ripped apart by greed. They’ve gone after Stenson for no other reason than to disrupt the Ryder Cup and make more headlines. Rules out all the Westwood, Sergio, Poulter, Gmac all out of future captaincies or playing roles too.
We are in trouble if any more big names go, hard to know where the integrity is in golf anymore
@Sam Murray: I’m actually surprised Stenson didn’t go earlier. While he’s not short a few quid he’s not as well off as some of the others. He was the victim of a Ponzi scheme in 2010 and was almost bankrupt because of it so he has a few years of lost earnings to make up
I would say he’s worried with the money he’ll make
@Shaun Gallagher: Surely it would be biggest moment in his career tho.
It’s not like he has sleepless nites over his saving account
@Paddy Waggon: he’s not worried about the price of kero this winter!!
Stenson lost 10 mill in a ponzi scheme 5 or 6 years ago and I’d imagine this is his little reward back to himself..But yes he’s dropped big time in form and world ranking but LIV went for him in particular to annoy the European tour and its ryder cup captain….They say GMAC got 25 mill signing on money so I’d imagine stenson is getting double that….but the 200 million for Michelson made no sense for a declining 51 year old….I’d say he literally couldn’t believe his luck….in real terms it would take an international premier league player on 200k a week to play for 20 years on those terms to accumulate the 200 million phil got for signing a LIV contract….
If and when Cameron Smith defects that’s when this story gets really interesting….
@Nigel Donovan: It was 2010 and I think he lost more than that. He was essentially bankrupt after it
All sides need to grow up. There are emough tournments and tours and players for all to play. And plenty of money .
Why did the pga set up the fed ex .
To atract players to play at end of seasom. They offer big money
Everyone wants to play in it and win.
Niave people if ya thinks its to have fed ex written on CV
Let them play where they want
Still have ryder cup still have majors
Still have world golf rankings .
How many players have to move for the sposers and tv start wanting a bit of the pie
Good luck to Stenson, think it is 100% the right decision given the money on offer. It is a bit sad that he has been stripped of the captaincy, I don’t see why he couldn’t have done both tbh.
@Richard Carroll:
Because the Ryder cup is hosted by the European and PGA… LIV golf has far different aspirations than those tours which are effectively apart of a larger Golf organisation which looks after everything from amateur, youths, woman’s ,…. Game.
LIV only wants the top and spend nothing in development of the game…
Look at boxing gyms struggling for resources while fighters can make 100m fights… sorry that is not what we want…
Could Stenson possibly have accepted the captaincy as a way to bump up his price with Liv?
Very bold move by Liv no matter what the circumstances… he hosted a European tour event only weeks ago… they’ll all probably come to some compromise eventually but can’t see it in the near future.
The antitrust division of the American DOJ is already investigating PGA and its associates. They’re asking to be sued by them if stuff like this keeps happening.
So, you’ve been a brilliant player, won millions of dollars on the PGA tour and been presented with the honour of captaining your continent. And you say no, eff that, I want even more money. Henrik, you disapoint me. What a pr1ck!
Shocking decision
Lee Westwood deffo
@Great White Hope: He’s already on the LIV tour
@Tim Tom: Shock. Didn’t know that
Why did they ‘strip’ him? Did he end up naked? Surely he was sacked as captain? Good reporters and subs are missed these days.
@Ken Curran: he wasn’t employed so surely stripped of the role makes more sense than sacked.
If they want to be serious about this then ban all those players from taking part in the majors.
I was so excited about your appointment Henrick .. honestly
Paul McGinley stand by
You’d wonder if he was coached in his responses to the DP Tour stripping him of the captaincy. He would have to be beyond the stupidly of investing most of his money in an unknown investment scheme to be surprised about it. I wouldn’t question anyone going for the money, but it’s not going to be without consequence. And they surely can’t expect to be welcomed back if the LIV Tour eventually DIES.
What an absolute soulless piece of….