'Politics Aside It’s Just Golf' - Poulter Responds To Rahm's Ryder Cup Views
The Englishman said Jon Rahm is "the only one who gets it" after he called it sad that politics have got in the way of the Europe vs USA match
Ian Poulter has responded to Jon Rahm's support for Ryder Cup legend Sergio Garcia by saying the World No.2 is "the only person who gets it" as the European side looks to be without LIV Golfers.
"it’s just golf.. politics aside it’s just golf," Poulter wrote on Twitter in reply to a video of Rahm speaking ahead of the Memorial Tournament.
The only person who gets it.. @JonRahmpga … it’s just golf.. politics aside it’s just golf. https://t.co/rcOCOmWGd6May 30, 2023
Rahm was passionate in voicing how he'll miss Sergio Garcia in Rome this year and remained adamant that Team Europe should be made up of the 12 best players regardless of which tour they play on.
“I'm going to miss him. We had a great partnership at Whistling Straits," Rahm said of his fellow Spaniard, who last week said that Luke Donald essentially told him he had no chance of making the team.
"I'm going to mention history again one more time. A Spanish duo in the Ryder Cup I think to me is embedded into the roots of the Ryder Cup. Look with Seve and Ollie were able to do throughout their partnership, right. So it's a little sad to me that politics have gotten in the way of such a beautiful event.
“It's the best Europeans against the best Americans, period. And whatever is going on, who is playing LIV and who is not playing LIV to me shouldn't matter. It's whoever is best suited to represent the European side.
"And I have a hard time to believe that the best player Europe has ever had, the most successful player Europe has had on the Ryder Cup isn't fit to be on the team.”
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“I was excited about the possibility of playing with Jon again, and I know that Jon was also excited about that possibility, too," Garcia said last week. "Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen, at least for now.”
Garcia, Poulter, Lee Westwood, Henrik Stenson and Richard Bland have all resigned their DP World Tour memberships so will not be featuring in any future Ryder Cups as things stand. The resignations came after the DP World Tour won February's arbitration panel hearing against its members who played in LIV tournaments despite not having conflicting event releases signed off by the tour.
It means that the DP World Tour is able to fine and suspend players for going against declined releases, meaning that LIV players would face huge fines and suspensions for continuing to play on the Saudi-backed tour while remaining members of the European circuit.
Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!
Elliott is currently playing:
Driver: Titleist TSR4
3 wood: Titleist TSi2
Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1
Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58
Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5
Ball: Srixon Z Star XV
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