Golf

Europe’s chance to retain Ryder Cup may be aided by potential Sergio Garcia return

Clarification over LIV golfers could pave the way for the Spaniard’s inclusion in Luke Donald’s team

USA's Keegan Bradley (left) and Europe's Luke Donald during a press conference at The Times Centre, New York. Photograph: Anthony Behar/PA
Philip Reid in New York
Tue Oct 08 2024 - 20:18

The hustle and bustle of downtown Manhattan provides its own, unique atmosphere. The city that never sleeps is never quiet and, yet, Luke Donald – who returns for a rare second gig as captain of the Europe team for next year’s Ryder Cup defence against the United States at Bethpage on Long Island – knows that even the frenetic energy of the Big Apple will likely pale compared to what faces his side in little under a year’s time.

Speaking at the year-to-go countdown, the press conference held in the Times Center and followed by a gala dinner in Gotham Hall on Broadway, Donald accepted the logic that his team will be underdogs, given the weight of recent history where the last winning away team on either side was one he featured on, the so-called Miracle at Medinah, in 2012.

“It has only ever been done once before with a European captain to win home and away, that was Tony Jacklin [who won back-to-back in 1985 and 1987 and retained it again in 1989], so it is a lot of live up to.

“We know how challenging and difficult it can be and no less than the environment that is going to be in New York. I am trying my best to put a good plan in place and think about a lot of things that can give the team the best chance of success and be ready in 51 weeks’ time.”

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Although his American counterpart Keegan Bradley, the world number 14, retains ambitions to be a player, he countered with a hint of mischief perhaps, saying: “It’s a very unifying thing to be on a team coming to a hostile environment, they get in an ‘us against the world’ and that’s always a tough team to play against.”

Expect it to be loud and raucous. It is New York after all. But Bradley observed: “There’s going to be people walking around inside the ropes that are going to be monitoring the situation. It’s really important to us, the US side, that it’s a fair place to play for both teams. Nobody on either team wants this to get uncomfortable or weird out there.

“But listen, you come into Yankee Stadium; you come into Madison Square Garden; you come into these places, it’s a tough place to play, and Luke and the boys know that. But I have total faith in the fans, and they are going to be loud and they are going to be passionate, and the PGA of America is going to do a great job making sure everything’s right.”

Sergio Garcia and Jon Rahm of Europe pose during a photocall ahead of the 2018 Ryder Cup at Le Golf National in Paris. Photograph: Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Certainly, Donald’s hand, it would seem, has been strengthened by the recent clarity provided to allow LIV players – most especially Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton as of now, but with Sergio Garcia also not entirely removed from the frame, compete on a team that will see six players qualify directly off an order of merit which started last month and then with Donald having six wild cards of his own to complete the team.

“That moment we won in Rome [last year] was the highlight of my career and to hear those 12 guys shout ‘two more years’ was for me a personal moment of joy and honour that they would want me to come back ... because of the changing landscape [in golf, with LIV], we wanted to create something that would give us the strongest six and we have six picks ... I think it is a great qualification system to give us our strongest team,” said Donald.

And, if Donald’s team are to pull off a miracle of their own, the importance of Rory McIlroy to the cause cannot be understated. He emerged as a true leader in the locker room in Rome, and showed his emotions on the course and, in the spat with Patrick Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava, off it too. The days when he decried it as an “exhibition” in 2010 are long gone.

“I think it was a little bit of a rude awakening for Rory when he made those comments for his first Ryder Cup. He pretty quickly found out it isn’t an exhibition. This is the best event in golf and he said that after his singles in Whistling Straits [in 2021] and it just shows what it means to most guys, the history of the Ryder Cup and how playing for your team-mates brings out a lot in you.

“It brings out so much emotion and so much passion ... there really is no event in golf like it. And Rory, he has been a leader for us, he understands the importance of the Ryder Cup and understands he wants to prepare as best he can, just like a Major, and be ready for that. He is always a strong leader, a great voice in the team room and he is a great player to have on your team because of that,” said Donald.

Fifty one weeks, and counting!