Rory McIlroy: Europe need to change Ryder Cup selection process because we did not have strongest team in America

RORY McILROY says Team Europe must change their Ryder Cup selection process because they did not have their strongest team in America.

The world No 2 wants to see rules that stopped England’s Paul Casey playing scrapped in favour of a purely rankings-based system.

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And he wants to do away with captains’ picks entirely.

Casey, 12th in the world, and Scot Russell Knox, snubbed by skipper Darren Clarke, were glaring omissions from the side.

America-based Casey could not be picked because he is not a member of the European Tour.

McIlroy said his absence at Hazeltine “definitely hurt” Europe’s chance of a record fourth straight win.

He told the No Laying Up podcast: “I think there can be changes and there definitely should be changes on the European side.

“To have a guy like Paul Casey not on our team when he is playing some of the best golf in the world right now definitely hurt us.

AFP

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"There shouldn't be anything to do with membership of tours.

"I know it wouldn't make it as exciting with no captains' picks but, honestly, it should be the 12 best in the world rankings from Europe versus the 12 best in the rankings from the US and you go play.

"That's the fairest and best way.

"America had Bubba Watson, the seventh best ranked player in the world at the time, not on the team, I felt uneasy about that.

"You're saying, 'OK this guy is a good enough player but we don't want him on the team'. It's a difficult one."