Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – With the 2031 Ryder Cup officially confirmed to be held at Spain’s Camiral Golf Resort in Costa Brava, near Barcelona, European golf star Jon Rahm has wasted no time in publicly endorsing compatriot Sergio Garcia as the ideal candidate to captain Team Europe six years from now. Rahm shared his thoughts on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, while previewing this week’s LIV Golf United Kingdom tournament.
Ryder Cup officials made the announcement about the 2031 venue on Tuesday, marking only the second time Spain will host the prestigious biennial competition. The last time was in 1997 at Valderrama, where Spanish legend Seve Ballesteros famously captained his side to victory.
The Case for a “Local Captain”
“I think there’s something to say about possibly having, obviously, a local captain,” Rahm stated, drawing a parallel to the iconic 1997 event. “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.”
The 45-year-old Sergio Garcia boasts an illustrious Ryder Cup career, ranking among the greatest performers in the competition’s history. In 10 Ryder Cup appearances between 1999 and 2021, he accumulated an impressive 25-13-7 record, amassing a record 28.5 points – more than any other player from either team.6
Garcia himself has expressed his desire to contribute to the European team, telling reporters after the Open Championship last week, “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.”
Eyeing the 2025 Ryder Cup
While the 2031 captaincy is a topic for the future, both Rahm and Garcia are currently focused on the immediate challenge of the 2025 Ryder Cup. Team Europe, captained by Luke Donald, will aim to defend their title against the United States at Bethpage Black in New York this September. Garcia’s potential inclusion on Donald’s team remains a key discussion point, given his experience and formidable Ryder Cup record.
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