ROME — It has been greater than 1 / 4 century since Sergio Garcia wasn’t a part of Europe’s Ryder Cup staff.
The energetic Spaniard, who joined the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour, knew what was coming, although, when captain Luke Donald referred to as lately to let him know that he would not be participating on this 12 months’s occasion.
Not as one in all Europe’s 12 gamers. Nor as one in all Donald’s 5 vice captains.
“We have chatted just a little bit and he actually needs the staff all the most effective. It is completely different for me (too),” Donald stated Monday after his total staff practiced on the Marco Simone membership exterior Rome that can host the Ryder Cup from Sept. 29-Oct 1.
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“It is going to be the primary Ryder Cup I have been concerned with out Sergio. However he understands the function and he was greater than supportive after I talked to him only a few weeks in the past.”
Garcia performed in 10 Ryder Cups from 1999 to 2021 and holds the Ryder Cup file for many factors at 28.5, going 3-1 in his final look at Whistling Straits two years in the past. Garcia did not play within the 2010 Ryder Cup when he took a break following a droop. However he was named as a vice captain for the 2010 occasion.
With Europe having been routed by the US in 2021, Donald picked three rookies for his staff in Ludvig Aberg, Sepp Straka and Nicolai Hojgaard.
The 23-year-old Aberg has been a professional for simply three months however the former No. 1 newbie gained the European Masters a day earlier than Donald introduced his staff.
“We have recognized about Ludvig for a very long time,” Donald stated. “He clearly got here out to the skilled circuit and picked it up fairly shortly, some very robust finishes. … He is an amazing driver of the golf ball, which is mostly a energy round Marco Simone and he is already becoming in very properly with the staff.”
One other sizzling participant is Viktor Hovland, who gained the BMW Championship and FedEx Cup title final month.
“Extraordinarily massive wins,” Donald stated. “We have now 4 of the final six FedEx Cup winners on our staff. So these are positives that I will be speaking to the fellows about and hold pumping them up. However we can’t take the U.S. frivolously. They are a very robust staff and we’re nonetheless hurting from two years in the past.”
Between No. 2 Rory McIlroy, No. 3 Jon Rahm and No. 4 Hovland, Europe has three of the highest 4 gamers on this planet rankings.
“We have now 12 extremely popular gamers, to be sincere,” Donald stated. “I am very pleased with my 12.”
Three gamers — Rahm, Hovland and Straka — arrived early on Sunday earlier than the two-day coaching camp to go to the Colosseum.
“They stated,” Donald recounted, “it was wonderful.”
