Welcome to 2023 — another Ryder Cup year.
The U.S. vs. Europe rivalry goes to Italy for the first time, the Marco Simone Country Club outside Rome, Sept. 25-Oct. 1.
The U.S. trounced Europe in 2021, 19-9 at Whistling Straits and last week U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick said he wouldn’t mind having LIV defector Sergio Garcia on the European team.
LIV has fractured the golf world and along with it, relationships between players. “I think there definitely are a few personal relationships that have been dented by this,” Fitzpatrick said in an interview with Sky Sports. “I’m not bothered, I just want to win, and I’m sure those boys do too.”
“Sergio would be the one that would stand out for me, particularly,” Fitzpatrick said. “I don’t know the details of (his relationship with Rory McIlroy). I’m happy to share a room with him, if that’s going to be the case, I can corner him off for everyone else.”
Garcia is Europe’s all-time leading scorer in Ryder Cup play.
Other European Ryder Cuppers who went to LIV include Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Graeme McDowell. Henrik Stenson lost his captain’s position after he threw his lot with the LIV series.
Going into 2023, there’s been no hardcore decision on participation by LIV players although Stenson getting the boot as captain is a pretty good hint as to where the DP World Tour stands on things.
The Ryder Cup is overseen on the U.S. side by the PGA of America. In Europe it is governed by the PGA European Tour (60 percent), PGA Great Britain and Ireland (20 percent) and PGA of Europe (20 percent).
DP World Tour Has Two Rolex Events In January:
There are two big DP World Tour events on the schedule for this month — the Abu Dhabi HSBC, Jan. 19-22 and the Dubai Desert Classic, Jan. 26-29. Each event carries a $9 million purse.
Thomas Pieters defends at the HSBC while Viktor Hovland was the winner in Dubai last year at the Emirates Golf Club, shooting 12-under and beating Richard Bland in a playoff.
Rory McIlroy is entered in the Dubai field, he typically starts his season there. He finished a shot behind Hovland last year. It also may be one of the reasons that McIlroy has chosen to skip this week’s Tournament of Champions on the PGA Tour.
