LIV Players: Later this year, Jon Rahm thinks LIV players should be permitted to compete in the Ryder Cup, and politics should stop “getting in the way” of the competition.
Rahm said in a speech prior to this week’s Memorial Tournament that Team Europe should consist of the top 12 players, regardless of the Tour they compete on.
Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, and Lee Westwood, who all participated in the 2021 tournament at Whistling Straits, will not compete for Team Europe since they are unable to represent LIV members who left the DP World Tour.
Rahm expressed his sadness that politics had interfered with such a lovely event.
“Once more, the best Europeans are competing against the finest Americans. And whatever is happening on, it shouldn’t matter to me who is playing LIV or not.
“Whoever is most qualified to represent the European side should do so.”
Rahm made his remarks after Sergio Garcia disclosed that Luke Donald, the captain of squad Europe, had warned him he had “no chance” of being selected for Europe’s Ryder Cup squad in Rome this autumn before he quit the DP World Tour.
Having enjoyed a successful partnership with fellow Spaniard Rahm in 2021, Garcia, Europe’s all-time leading points scorer in the competition, admitted that one of the reasons he wanted to play in the Ryder Cup was that he was “excited about the possibility” of playing with Rahm again. The Masters Champion shared Garcia’s excitement.
“He will be missed by me. We worked well together at Whistling Straights,” Rahm continued.
“I’m going to bring up history once again. It seems to me that the Ryder Cup’s roots are rooted in a Spanish duet.
“Look at what Seve Ballasteros and Ollie Jose Maria Olazabal were able to do together during the course of their collaboration, right?
“I find it difficult to accept that the greatest golfer Europe has ever produced, the most successful Ryder Cup player Europe has ever had, is unable to play for the team.
“It’s unfortunate, then. He will be missed. However, I still want to have some optimism because a few Spanish players are now excelling, so hopefully they will join the team.”
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