Ryder Cup vice captain tears into LIV players for 'throwing away their careers'
European Ryder Cup vice captain Edoardo Molinari has criticised golfers in their 20s and 30s for joining the lucrative LIV Golf League.
European Ryder Cup vice captain Edoardo Molinari believes golfers aged 20 to 30 are 'throwing away their careers' when they join LIV Golf.
Molinari, the elder brother to 2018 Open champion Francesco, made the explosive comments in an interview with Gazzetto dello Sport.
As far as the stats man is concerned, if you make choices based solely on money then you will likely end up regretting it.
"Honestly, I don't understand anyone who is 20 or 30 years old and risks throwing away a career to go to LIV," he told the publication.
"Of course if they come to me and offer me 300 million it would change my life, but they don't come."
The 43-year-old also revealed the breakaway tour approached Nicolai Hojgaard after the 2023 Ryder Cup in Italy over a potential switch.
Denmark's Hojgaard ultimately rejected LIV.
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Two of Hojgaard's teammates, Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton did end up joining LIV.
It is widely accepted Rahm's LIV deal was worth approximately half a billion dollars.
As for Hatton, he reportedly flipped a coin before accepting his alleged fee of £50m.
"A few weeks ago I was speaking with Nicolai Hojgaard who had a good offer," Molinari continued.
"And he rejected it because he knows that if he will continue to play well, he will still earn a lot of money.
"But he will be freer to make certain decisions and he will be sure of playing the majors.
"It is difficult to say no in front of a lot of money, but if you make choices based only on money you risk regretting them a little."
Molinari claimed that he believes it's a certainty Rahm will be at Bethpage Black next September.
In recent days there have been doubts cast as to whether he will be eligible for selection.
That came after it was confirmed by the Guardian and Telegraph Sport the reigning Masters champion was being fined and suspended by the DP World Tour.
"I think that in two years from now we will find a way to call them anyway," Molinari said of LIV players.
"The only requirement at the moment is that they are members of the European Tour.
"I believe that someone like Rahm, whatever the cost, wants to play the Ryder Cup. So I don't I think he will resign from the European circuit."
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