Jon Rahm has admitted he will miss partnering with compatriot Sergio Garcia in this year’s Ryder Cup, and says 'politics' has interfered in the decision to exclude him.
The two-time Major winning Spaniard is certain to represent Team Europe in September’s biennial tournament against Team USA. However, LIV Golf player Garcia revealed last week that captain Luke Donald had told him he had “no chance” of making the team.
World No.2 Rahm is preparing for his first start since the PGA Championship in this week’s Memorial Tournament, but also found time to speak about the situation that means Garcia, who is the Ryder Cup's record points scorer, will be absent from the event at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.
Rahm said: “I'm going to miss him. We had a great partnership at Whistling Straits. 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 with Seve and Ollie 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 place in the side has been in question since he signed for LIV Golf. The chances of him and other LIV Golf players appearing in the tournament seemed even slimmer once the DP World Tour won its legal battle against players on the circuit. However, Rahm doesn’t think that should have a bearing the personnel in Donald’s team.
He said: “It's the best Europeans against the best American, period. And whatever is going on, who is playing LIV and who is not playing LIV to me shouldn't matter. 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.”
Despite confirmation that Garcia won’t be involved in the Ryder Cup for the first time in 24 years, other Spaniards, including Adrian Otaegui, Jorge Campillo and the winner of last week’s KLM Open on the DP World Tour, Pablo Larrazabal, are in contention. Rahm said he remains hopeful more Spaniards will join him on the team. He said: “It's unfortunate. I will miss him. 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.”
Before last week’s LIV Golf event in Washington DC, Garcia said: “I was excited about the possibility of playing with Jon again, and I know that Jon was also excited about that possibility, too. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen, at least for now.”
The tournament gets under way on 29 September, with Donald due to finalise his team after Ryder Cup qualifying earlier that month.
