Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton may not be the only LIV Golf stars who line up for Europe at next year’s Ryder Cup, with Luke Donald opening the door for Sergio Garcia to potentially be involved at Bethpage Black.
Sergio Garcia missed the 2023 Ryder Cup following his move to LIV Golf. Remarkably, it was the first Ryder Cup not to feature the Spaniard as either a player or a vice-captain since 1997. Of course, the 2017 Masters champion is the all-time leading points scorer in the competition.
The path opening up for LIV Golf players to be involved next year clearly increases the likelihood of Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton playing. But Donald also said last week that he has spoken to Garcia about regaining his DP World Tour membership so he could be available for selection.
Garcia is not the player he once was. However, it would be a big boost to Europe’s chances of winning in New York if he could get a pick. He finished third in the individual standings on LIV this past season, while he is one of the few Europeans who knows what winning the Ryder Cup on American soil actually feels like.
Sergio Garcia may get perfect opportunity to emulate one of his heroes at the 2025 Ryder Cup
Some think Garcia would be a ‘perfect’ captain’s pick for Donald. And if he does end up making the team for next year, perhaps Garcia will get the chance to emulate one of his heroes who played an important role in one of his finest Ryder Cup displays.
Garcia’s only defeat during the 2006 Ryder Cup came in the singles against Stewart Cink. At that stage, he had already won four matches as Europe stormed to a record victory at The K Club.
Garcia was no stranger to the Ryder Cup at that stage, having made his debut in 1999. But remarkably, he was still the youngest player on either side, with not one of the American team under the age of 30. So it proved to be inspired when Ian Woosnam paired Garcia with Jose Maria Olazabal for two of the sessions.
Olazabal was making what would prove to be his final appearance as a player in the Ryder Cup, and he was the second oldest player in the team behind Colin Montgomerie. So it was little surprise that Woosnam put him out for just two matches over the first two days.
One of several great Spanish partnerships in the Ryder Cup
And the two Spaniards delivered – as is often the case in Ryder Cups, it seems. The pair won both of their matches as Olazabal completed a flawless record by beating Phil Mickelson in the singles.
This was not Olazabal at his best. His final wins on the PGA Tour and European Tour were already behind him at that point. And yet, the Ryder Cup brought the best out of him again even at that stage of his career. Thomas Bjorn believes Olazabal has even more passion for the Ryder Cup than Seve Ballesteros did.
Garcia’s game now is arguably in a much better place than Olazabal’s was back in 2006. And if he does return to the fold, there is little reason to think he cannot set his sights on 2027 also, but Garcia deserves that opportunity to go out on his own terms.
And it would be fitting if Garcia’s Ryder Cup career ended with him elevating a youngster on the team – just as his hero Olazabal did 18 years ago.
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