Rory McIlroy Signals True Changing Of The Guard For Team Europe In The Ryder Cup With Dig Towards LIV Trio

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Two things have been consistent over the last 12 renditions of the Ryder Cup: Europe has not lost on home soil and one of either Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood, and Ian Poulter have played a role in the demise of the Americans.

None of those three European stalwarts are in Rome for the 2023 Ryder Cup after taking their talents to LIV Golf and resigning their DP World Tour memberships taking them from heroes to sworn enemies for the European side at the biennial event.

READ: WYNDHAM CLARK SAID NOTHING WRONG, HE SHOULD THINK HE’S ‘BETTER’ THAN RORY MCILROY | MARK HARRIS

We'll have to wait and see until Sunday evening to determine whether or not the trio's absence is any sort of blow to the Europeans. Nevertheless, losing three veteran leaders and players who have been the face of Team Europe for 15 years is something you simply can't ignore. We're talking about three players who picked up a combined 67 points over the course of 12 Ryder Cups.

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Ian Poulter holds an unbeaten record of 6-0-1 in Ryder Cup singles matches. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy Isn't Missing European Ryder Cup Heroes Of The Past

The reality of Poulter, Westwood, and Garcia not being in Rome signals the start of a new era for European Ryder Cup teams in the most literal way possible. Rory McIlroy, however, decided to emphatically slam the door shut on the past generation of European heroes.

“I mean, it’s certainly a little strange not having them around,” McIlroy told the media in Rome on Wednesday. “But I think this week, of all weeks, it’s going to hit home with them that they are not here.

“I think they are going to miss being here more than we’re missing them.”

This isn't just your typical LIV Golf dig from McIlroy we've grown accustomed to seeing over the past couple of years, this is him going full pirate from 'Captain Phillips' and saying "I'm the captain now."

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Rory McIlroy has emphatically decided there's a new European Ryder Cup leader. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Alex Perry of Bunkered reported that there "was an audible collective intake of breath" from reporters inside the press building after McIlroy made his statement.

This moment of McIlroy taking over the reins of the European Ryder Cup team was inevitable no matter if LIV Golf came along or not. Garcia, Westwood, and Poulter are now well-beyond their prime, and McIlroy was the easy choice to be the next man up.

McIlroy electing to take a swipe at three of the best Ryder Cup'ers to ever do it and past teammates of his would not fall into that same inevitable category.

The changing of the guard for Team Europe has officially taken place.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the world of professional golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.