WHY RORY SKIPPED BEING A CAPTAIN

RORY McILROY has already “shot down” the prospect of becoming a Ryder Cup player-captain in the future.

- By Carl Markham

The Northern Irishman, Europe’s leading points scorer in their victory in Rome two years ago, said the idea had already been raised but he rejected it out of hand, Masters champion and world No.2 Mellroy, 36, has plenty of time left as a player at the top of the game.

But it is a dilemma facing United States captain Keegan Bradley, 39, whose form this year has elevated him to 12th in the world and 10th on his team’s qualification list.

Mcllroy, who was the first’ player to automatically qualify for Europe’s team for next month’s event in New York, said: “I’ve been asked to do that and I’ve turned it down.

“The idea of me being a playing captain sometime soon has come up.