Rory McIlroy: World number three says LIV upheaval has strained friendships

LIV players will be 'pretty tired on Sunday', jokes McIlroy

Rory McIlroy admits his relationship with a number of Ryder Cup team-mates has been strained by their defection to LIV Golf.

Five members of Europe's side last year have joined the Saudi-funded series.

Four of those five - Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Bernd Wiesberger - are playing in this week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

"I wouldn't say I've got much of a relationship with them at the minute," said McIlroy, 33, on Thursday.

The world number three's comment was in a response to whether his relationship with Poulter, Westwood and Garcia specifically could survive the current turmoil engulfing top-level men's professional golf.

The Northern Irishman's compatriot Graeme McDowell is another of the LIV players who will be in action in Surrey this week.

'My opinion is they shouldn't be here'

Speaking after his Tour Championship triumph in Atlanta 10 days ago, McIlroy said that competing against LIV Golf players at this week's DP World Tour flagship event would be "hard for me to stomach".

McIlroy was more measured in his comments at Wentworth on Wednesday.

"They are here. They are playing the golf tournament. My opinion is they shouldn't be here, but again that's just my opinion," he added.

"But if you're just talking about Ryder Cup, that's not the future of the Ryder Cup team. They've played in probably a combined 25, 30 Ryder Cups, whatever it is.

"The Hojgaards (Rasmus and Nicolai), Bobby Mac (Robert MacIntyre), whoever else is coming up. They are the future of the Ryder Cup team. That's what we should be thinking about and talking about."

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McIlroy claimed $18m (£15.36m) in prize money for his third FedEx Cup triumph last month

McIlroy also could not resist a couple of digs at the LIV rebels, who have been banned by the PGA Tour for joining the breakaway and its 54-hole events.

Asked about the prospect of battling a LIV player in the final round on Sunday, he said: "I'll be trying to win a golf tournament regardless. They are going to be pretty tired on Sunday - it will be the fourth day."

As for the possibility of LIV players getting back on to the traditional tours if they wanted to return, the four-time major winner said: "I mean they can always go through Q-School, yeah."

After becoming the first player to win the FedEx Cup three times which earned him £15.3m, McIlroy also tops the DP World Tour rankings and he said achieving a double would be "cool".

McIlroy, who won the Wentworth event in 2014, will have further opportunities to boost his chances of securing the European number one spot at next week's Italian Open in Rome and the Dunhill Links event which starts in Scotland on 29 September.

"Even though I won this tournament in May (2014), I've enjoyed it more in September," added McIlroy, who last topped the European season rankings in 2015.

"I think the golf course plays sort of a little better for me. It plays a little longer, I can hit a few more drivers.

"I'm on a little run here with Italy next week and the Dunhill a little bit after that. It's nice to get back on European soil and play a few."

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