Jon Rahm sad that ‘politics got in the way’ of Ryder Cup

Jon Rahm has expressed his sadness that he will not be able to play alongside his Spanish compatriot Sergio Garcia at the Ryder Cup.

Rahm and Europe’s all-time leading points scorer Garcia created a formidable partnership in 2021, offering some brief respite in blue-and-gold during the humiliating 19-9 defeat to Team USA at Whistling Straits.

But LIV Golf’s Garcia will not be able to play in the biennial dust-up in Rome this September after making himself ineligible for the contest.

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Garcia, along with fellow European stalwarts Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, accepted his fate and resigned from the DP World Tour amid mounting fines and suspensions following his defection to the LIV circuit.

The 2017 Masters champion claimed that he handed in his card after an honest chat with captain Luke Donald, who effectively told him the prospect of making the team were all but over.

Rahm, who had been an advocate of LIV golfers making the European team on merit, is disappointed that it has come to this.

“I’m going to miss him,” Rahm said, speaking ahead of this week’s Memorial Tournament.

“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 (Ballesteros) and Ollie (José María Olazábal) 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.

“Again, 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. So, 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.”

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.