No Ryder Cup is the same without a Spanish presence, and although we can say with some certainty that Masters champion Jon Rahm will be teeing it up in Rome, a number of other names have thrown themselves into the mix – including 40-year-old, Pablo Larrazábal.
The energetic Spaniard is one of the hottest players on the DP World Tour right now, having picked up a ninth title and a second trophy in under a month, when he came from off the pace to win the KLM Open in May.
His was also victorious at the Korea Championship at the end of April – and it helped him to climb a huge 19 places into the top ten on the European Points List. The hard work and silverware has also seen him finally crack into the world’s top 50 for the first time in his career.
Should Larrazábal make Luke Donald’s team at Marco Simone Golf Club & Country Club in September, it will be his debut for Team Europe – and he’d be a very popular member of the gold and blue.
The world of Twitter was quick to acknowledge the Spaniard’s move into the world’s top 50 – a list that comes with a number of huge benefits – as was the man himself.
💪🏽🕺💪🏽 https://t.co/EM2tD3kI9uJune 5, 2023
Larrazábal highlighted one such tweet with a couple of emojis (big biceps and a jig) and is clearly relishing the opportunity to push on and hopefully secure a place in the biennial contest.
"I'm so proud of myself and so proud of my team,” said the Barcelona-born man after his win at the KLM Open. “We struggled big time through Covid but here we are – four wins in the last 15 months. It means too much to me."
The Ryder Cup has witnessed many a colorful and successful partnership over the years, none more so than Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal, who notched up 12 points from 15 matches.
And the 2023 edition of golf’s showpiece tournament could well see a number of new partnerships form, with no fewer than four Spanish players currently inside the top ten of the Ryder Cup European Team Rankings.
Rahm sits atop the list, but as well as Larrazábal in ninth spot, LIV Golf’s Adrian Otaegui is sitting pretty in sixth, and three-time DP World Tour winner, Jorge Campillo, occupies seventh.
World number two, Rahm, said recently that he would miss Sergio Garcia, who, having resigned from the DP World Tour, will not be able to play in the Ryder Cup.
Despite his friend joining LIV Golf, however, Rahm is excited to see a number of his fellow countrymen in qualifiying contention, and said he was "hopeful" a few of them could "join me on the team".
The six automatic qualifiers for Donald’s team will comprise the three leading players on the European Points List followed by the three leading players on the World Points List. Donald will then select a further six Captain’s Picks to complete his 12-man team to face the United States.
