LIV Golf Rumors: Henrik Stenson Out as Team Europe Ryder Cup Captain after Joining LIV
LIV Golf Rumors: Henrik Stenson Out as Team Europe Ryder Cup Captain after Joining LIV
For days now, it had been rumored that if Henrik Stenson, the Ryder Cup captain of Team Europe, left the PGA Tour for LIV Golf, he would be removed from all Ryder Cup activity and stripped of his captaincy. On Wednesday morning, those rumors became reality with an announcement from Ryder Cup Europe.
The move of bringing Stenson to LIV Golf has brought up some valid questions behind the intent of the Saudi-backed golf league. If they aim to find the best golfers in the world, why would Henrik Stenson be their pick?
Stenson is currently the 171st-ranked golfer in the world. In his most recent tournaments, The British Open and The Scottish Open, Stenson missed the cut entirely. It would seem like this is a move by LIV to disrupt the Ryder Cup and cause chaos, not a move that improves the level of play within the league.
Unlike the rumors of Cameron Smith leaving for LIV, losing Henrik Stenson isn't a big blow when it comes to the level of play on the PGA Tour. However, it is a blow to the Ryder Cup.
Stenson, once the No. 2 golfer in the world, was named captain of the European 2023 Ryder Cup Team earlier this year.
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Next Ryder Cup Captain Odds - Team Europe
Of course, with Stenson being removed as Ryder Cup Captain, UK sportsbooks have begun to price up odds for the next Ryder Cup captain of Team Europe. And, it looks like Luke Donald is the heavy odds-on favorite.
| Name | Odds | Implied Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Luke Donald | -400 | 80% |
| Robert Karlsson | +400 | 20% |
| Thomas Bjorn | +2500 | 3.85% |
LIV Golf Players
- Dustin Johnson (USA)
- Brooks Koepka (USA)
- Henrik Stenson (SWE)
- Abraham Ancer (ESP)
- Louis Oosthuizen (RSA)
- Bryson DeChambeau (USA)
- Kevin Na (USA)
- Talor Gooch (USA)
- Patrick Reed (USA)
- Sergio Garcia (ESP)
- Richard Bland (ENG)
- Shaun Norris (RSA)
- Matt Jones (AUS)
- Matthew Wolff (USA)
- Pablo Larrazabal (ESP)
- Phil Mickelson (USA)
- Sam Horsfield (ENG)
- Lee Westwood (ENG)
- Ryosuke Kinoshita (JPN)
- Scott Vincent (ZIM)
- Ian Poulter (ENG)
- Bernd Wiesberger (AUT)
- Hudson Swafford (USA)
- Oliver Bekker (RSA)
- Jinichiro Kozuma (JPN)
- Justin Harding (RSA)
- Carlos Ortiz (ESP)
- Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA)
- Laurie Canter (ENG)
- Branden Grace (RSA)
- Charl Schwartzel (RSA)
- Hennie Du Plessis (RSA)
- Phachara Khongwatmai (THA)
- Sihwan Kim (USA)
- JC Ritchie (RSA)
- Adrian Otaegui (ESP)
- Hideto Tanihara (JPN)
- Martin Kaymer (GER)
- Jediah Morgan (AUS)
- Blake Windred (AUS)
- Wade Ormsby (AUS)
- Ratchanaon "TK" Chantananuwat* (THA)
- Peter Uihlein (USA)
- Ian Snyman (RSA)
- Graeme McDowell (NIR)
- Travis Smyth (AUS)
- Viraj Madappa (IND)
- Itthipat Buranatanyarat (THA)
- Turk Pettit (USA)
- Oliver Fisher (ENG)
- Chase Koepka (USA)
- Andy Ogletree (USA)
- James Piot* (USA)
- David Puig* (ESP)
- Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra (ESP)
- Kevin Yuan (AUS)