The 1997 Ryder Cup at Valderrama, the first time the biennial teams match held in continental Europe, sent profound ripples throughout Spain’s golf landscape when its most famous son, Seve Ballesteros, captained the Europeans to victory. In fact, if you ask Jon Rahm, he may not have become a professional golfer if it weren’t for his father, Edorta, who had never played golf prior to 1997, attending the showpiece in Andalucia and later introducing his son to the game.
At LIV Golf UK on Wednesday, two-time major winner Rahm looked inspired when discussing the news confirmed by the European team on Monday that the 2031 Ryder Cup will return to Spain. It will be held at the Camiral Golf & Wellness Resort in Caldes de Malavella, a venue formerly known as PGA Catalunya in the country’s north-east, near Barcelona.
Rahm, at 21st on the European points standings, will almost certainly be a captain’s pick by Luke Donald on the visiting team for the upcoming Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in New York before the event heads back across the pond to Adare Manor in Ireland in 2027.
Looking beyond that, Rahm was adamant that his friend, mentor and fellow LIV golfer, Sergio Garcia, 45, should be the captain in 2031 given the impact on Spanish golf felt by five-time major champion Ballesteros skippering the 1997 home team to a 14½-13½ victory over Tom Kite’s US side.
“Knowing that some things smoothed over in the world of golf, that Sergio could possibly be the captain of the Ryder Cup team, that also adds to it,” Rahms said at JCB Golf & Country Club in the Midlands of England.
Asked if Garcia – the 2017 Masters winner and record points scorer for Europe who is still hoping to make the team at Bethpage as a captain’s picks – was born to captain the Europeans in Spain in 2031, Rahm said: “Yeah, I think so. I think there’s something to say about possibly having, obviously, a local captain. I think it would do wonders for the crowd. If history shows us anything – and it’s very hard to compare anybody to Seve – but I’ve only heard stories about what that Ryder Cup was like. I would say, if possible, I think that’s a very obvious good choice to have Sergio be a part of that one.”
Rahm and Garcia have played twice on the same teams for Europe – in the 2018 victory in Paris and 2021 defeat in Wisconsin – and they went 2-0 as a duo at Whistling Sraits.
Rahm, who will be 36 for the 2031, is determined to qualify for the team and play what would likely be the only Ryder Cup in Spain of his career.
“[In 1997], I think… that I can remember, four Spanish people that were involved in that Ryder Cup with Seve. Miguel [Angel Jimenez] was a vice captain, Ollie [Jose Maria Olazabal] playing and then Nacho Garrido playing, as well, so only four people can say they have done that,” Rahm said. “I don’t know how many players can ever say they’ve played a Ryder Cup in their home countries. Not many, besides the US team, obviously. But it would be unbelievable. I’m very happy that it’s happening. I’m hoping that somehow or another I can be a part of it. There’s certainly some pressure that comes with it, but it truly would be a dream come true.”
