Luke Donald will not discuss LIV players' availability for Ryder Cup with American captain
- Planet Sport writer
- 16 May 2023
Luke Donald has ruled out any suggestion of a "captains' agreement" with counterpart Zach Johnson over the inclusion of LIV players in the Ryder Cup.
Europe's Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald says he will not have a discussion with his American counterpart about including LIV players in the tournament.
American players remain eligible for the biennial contest despite being banned or resigning from the PGA Tour in the wake of joining the Saudi-funded circuit.
European stalwarts Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter are ineligible after resigning from the DP World Tour following the imposition of further sanctions for playing LIV events without permission.
But any LIV players who remain Tour members can in theory still qualify or be given a wild card, although it is highly unlikely given the limited number of events they can contest.
Asked ahead of the US PGA Championship if he would speak to Johnson about the situation, Donald said: "I think in terms of what Zach is doing and his options, I think that's kind of his call.
"Whether LIV players play on his team I haven't really talked to him much about it as a captains' agreement, as you said.
"And let's not forget there's still LIV players that can still play on my team. They're still eligible if they're members of the tour and were born in Europe. That is still a possibility for some guys.
"To be honest, I think that the team selections should be pretty separate.
"I'm in charge of the European team and what's best for us, and he (Johnson) is in charge of the US team and what's best for him. I think that's just how it should be."
