The Ryder Cup ought to function one of the best gamers and it shouldn’t matter whether or not some have determined to hitch LIV Golf, Jon Rahm stated as he expressed unhappiness that Spanish compatriot Sergio Garcia can be absent from this 12 months’s competitors.
Garcia is Europe’s all-time file factors scorer and went undefeated within the three matches he performed with Rahm on the 2021 version of the biennial occasion the place the United States rolled to an emphatic victory at Whistling Straits.
He is ineligible for the occasion this 12 months, nonetheless, after resigning from the European Tour to hitch the Saudi-funded LIV.
“I’m going to miss him. We had a great partnership at Whistling Straits,” world quantity two Rahm stated at Muirfield Village Golf Club forward of this week’s Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio.
“I’m going to mention history again one more time. A Spanish duo in the Ryder Cup I think to me is embedded into the roots of the Ryder Cup. Look what Seve (Ballesteros) and (Jose Maria Olazabal) were able to do throughout their partnership, right.
“So it’s a little sad to me that politics have gotten in the way of such a beautiful event.”
Garcia’s resignation got here a month after the DP World Tour, previously referred to as the European Tour, received its authorized battle to have the ability to droop and high-quality gamers who featured in conflicting LIV Golf occasions with out permission.
The 2017 Masters champion additionally stated that earlier than he introduced his resignation he had reached out to European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald to see the place he stood with reference to making the staff and was instructed he had “no chance”.
But if reigning Masters champion Rahm may have his method, Garcia can be at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome for the Sept. 29-Oct. 1 Ryder Cup.
“Again, it’s the best Europeans against the best Americans, period. And whatever is going on, who is playing LIV and who is not playing LIV to me shouldn’t matter,” stated Rahm.
“It’s whoever is best suited to represent the European side. And I have a hard time to believe that the best player Europe has ever had, the most successful player Europe has had on the Ryder Cup isn’t fit to be on the team.”
As it stands, 4 Spaniards sit inside the highest 10 on the European Points List in Rahm (first), Adrian Otaegui (sixth), Jorge Campillo (eighth) and Pablo Larrazabal (ninth).
While Garcia won’t be within the combine, Rahm is hopeful he won’t be the one Spaniard on Luke Donald’s 12-man staff in Rome.
“It’s unfortunate. I will miss him,” Rahm stated of Garcia.
“But with that said I want to be hopeful, there’s a couple of Spanish guys playing really good right now, so hopefully they can join me on the team.”