'It Would Mean The World To Me To Be There' - But Can Sergio Garcia's Record With Rahm Help Earn A Ryder Cup Return?

Sergio Garcia still feels he has chances to impress Luke Donald enough this season to earn a return to the Ryder Cup - and hopes his brilliant partnership with Jon Rahm on the last visit to the USA will count in his favour.

Garcia went into the Open Championship hoping for a big week to really press his Ryder Cup claims - but although he played nice enough a T34 finish was not exactly what he wanted.

Now the Spaniard returns to LIV Golf for the UK event, but still feels he can impress Donald despite not playing in the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup Playoffs.

"I don't think it's the last chance, to be totally honest," he said after Portrush. "I think there's still a good amount of weeks left."

Donald has given Garcia plenty hope with the two in constant contact about the state of his game.

Jon Rahm & Sergio Garcia's Ryder Cup record

"It's no secret that we have been talking," Garcia said about his chats with Donald. "It would mean the world to me to be there. Obviously if I can help the team, that's my main goal, I've always said it.

"I think that I can bring things to the team that - to any team that would probably need it. Obviously at the end of the day, he's going to make whatever he thinks is the best decision for him and his team, at the end of the day. So we'll see."

The 45-year-old has plenty going for him, with course form at Bethpage Black and more importantly that stellar partnership he forged with Rahm at Whistling Straits in 2021.

Rahm and Garcia went 3-0 as partners at Whistling Straits despite Europe taking a sound beating, and restoring that Spanish combination will no doubt be in Donald's mind.

"Jon and I are good friends," said Garcia. "We played well when we played at Whistling Straits. I was watching a few YouTube videos this week on our matches there. We had a great time. We gel nicely together. Obviously it's easy to play with Jon because he's so good."

Garcia has been honest about his game all year, famously saying in May he wouldn't take a wildcard even if given one by Donald due to the way he was playing then.

Donald has spoken of his desire to ensure there's experience in his side given the trip to New York will be the most testing away day in the competition - and that surely opens the door for Garcia.

"We've had a few conversations. At the end of the day, yes, obviously going into the US, going into New York, experience is always good," Garcia added.

"Mostly because you're still going to have some rookies there, and I think those experienced guys have a great job to do there to make sure that those rookies know what they're getting into, even though Luke has been doing a great job of bringing a lot of information to the potential players that are going to be there.

"At the end of the day, when you're out there on the course, it's nice to have one of those experienced guys to put their arm around you and make you feel like don't worry, I've got you, when people are shouting at you and screaming and wishing you all the bad things that you can think of."

If Donald is looking for experience, and wants to get the best out of one of his big guns in Rahm, then Garcia may not be the worst pick he could make.