John Rahm said that the Ryder Cup should include the best players and it does not matter whether some have decided to join Live Golf, as he expressed his sadness at the absence of his Spanish compatriot Sergio Garcia from this year’s competition.
Garcia is Europe’s all-time leading scorer in points and is unbeaten in his three matches with the Ram at the 2021 edition of the biennial event as the United States take out an emphatic victory at Whistling Straits.
However, he is not eligible for the event this year, after he quit the European Tour to join the Saudi-funded LIV.
“I will miss him. We had a great partnership at Whistling Straits,” world number 2 Ram said at Muirfield Village Golf Club ahead of the Memorial tournament this week in Dublin, Ohio.
“I will mention the history again. I think the Spanish pairing in the Ryder Cup is an integral part of the Ryder Cup roots. Look what Seif (Balesteros) and (José María Olazábal) were able to do during their partnership, right.
“So it’s a little sad for me that politics got in the way of such a beautiful event.”
Garcia’s resignation came a month after DP World, formerly known as the European Tour, won its legal battle to be able to suspend and discontinue players who participated in discordant LIV Golf events without permission.
The 2017 Masters champion also said that before announcing his resignation, he called European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald to see where he stood in terms of making the team and was told he had “no chance”.
But if Masters champ Ram can get what he wants, it will be Garcia at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome from September 29-October. 1 Ryder cup.
“Again, he’s the best European against the best Americans, and whatever happens, it doesn’t matter who plays for LIV and who doesn’t play for LIV to me,” said Ram.
“He is the one best suited to represent Europe. And I find it hard to believe that the best player Europe has ever known, the most successful player in Europe in the Ryder Cup is not fit to join the team.”
As it stands, four Spaniards sit inside the top ten on the European points list in Ram (1st), Adrian Otaegwe (sixth), Jorge Campello (eighth) and Pablo Larzabal (ninth).
While Garcia won’t be in the mix, Ram is hoping he won’t be the only Spaniard in Donald’s 12-man squad at Rome.
“It’s unfortunate. I’m going to miss him,” Ram said of Garcia.
“But with that said I want to be optimistic, there are two Spanish players who are playing really well at the moment so hopefully they will join me in the team.”