'Rahm sends Ryder Cup reminder as US warm up with Presidents Cup stroll'

Jon Rahm’s play-off conclusion successful nan Spanish Open by world number 398 Angel Hidalgo, shows golf’s enduring capacity to output upsets - but this trait seldom extends to nan Presidents Cup.

In Montreal, nan United States’ 10th consecutive triumph complete nan Internationals was arsenic apt arsenic Hidalgo’s shootout occurrence was unexpected successful Madrid.

Former world number 1 Rahm birdied nan past 2 holes to return his location Open to other time, only for nan unheralded Hidalgo to prevail pinch consecutive birdies successful abrupt death.

Sporting romance was live and kicking successful nan Spanish capital.

The 26-year-old champion from Marbella, who only a mates of years earlier supported Rahm from nan galleries, has now secured DP World Tour playing privileges for astatine slightest nan adjacent 2 years.

“Winning astatine home, winning a Spanish Open pinch each nan support that location has been, you could show really overmuch he felt it and really important it was for him," LIV prima Rahm sportingly observed.

“May he study from these moments and bask them.”

Across nan pond successful Quebec it was a spot much feisty and decidedly much predictable. Jim Furyk’s United States squad recorded a convincing 18½-11½ triumph complete nan Internationals led by erstwhile Masters champion Mike Weir.

The Presidents Cup has plentifulness of critics. It is seen arsenic 'Ryder Cup-lite' pinch its little aggravated four-day format.

Players coming from disparate parts of nan globe to shape America’s guidance has often felt confected - Koreans and Japanese teaming up pinch South Africans, Australians and Canadians.

But past week, moreover successful defeat, Weir’s squad did play pinch an evident and commendable corporate spirit, particularly erstwhile they reversed nan opening 5-0 drubbing successful nan Thursday fourballs pinch a cleanable expanse successful nan Friday foursomes.

There was niggle too, particularly successful nan style of Tom Kim. The demonstrative 22-year-old Korean made clear his displeasure astatine being asked to spread a short putt he felt should person been given.

Kim besides complained that he and partner Kim Si-woo had been sworn astatine during their Saturday conflict pinch Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele. And nan Montreal crowds were raucous, not rather a 'bear pit' but not acold disconnected it.

The young Korean, though, yet backtracked. He went to Schauffele astatine nan extremity of nan lucifer past Sunday to apologise for his comments nan erstwhile day. “I conscionable told him I didn't mean it to spell successful specified a antagonistic way,” Tom Kim admitted.

“It was conscionable extracurricular nan ropes, and I felt for illustration that was a small misunderstanding connected my part, which I should person explained better,” he admitted.

But nan Presidents Cup requires separator and needle if it is to go nan spectacle nan PGA Tour would want it to be.

Right now, it is excessively one-sided and nan gulf is accentuated by nan presence of nan breakaway LIV tour, which deprived nan location squad of Australia’s 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith and nan highly rated Chilean Joaquin Niemann.

Yes, nan United States were without nan likes of Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka, but American play still possesses awesome spot successful depth. Their full dozen-strong squad was classed wrong nan apical 25 successful nan world.

How could these matches beryllium improved?

There is extracurricular support for American Solheim Cup skipper Stacy Lewis’ contention that nan Presidents Cup should go a mixed event.

The Internationals would beryllium acold stronger fixed nan extent of Asian and Australasian talent connected nan LPGA. “It’s nan cleanable measurement to blend nan 2 tours,” Lewis said astatine nan Solheim successful Virginia earlier this month.

“The world squad will get amended very quickly. I deliberation it would beryllium astonishing to person nan 2 tours together that way.”

But, moreover pinch yet different one-sided title successful nan books - nan Internationals person only won 1 of nan 15 Presidents Cups to day - it is very difficult to spot nan PGA Tour changing course.

Such a extremist alteration would not beryllium emblematic of their usually blimpish playbook. It will, astir likely, proceed successful nan aforesaid vein astatine nan adjacent lucifer astatine Medinah successful 2026.

That Chicago venue famously played big to nan past genuinely adjacent Ryder Cup, wherever Europe came backmost from 10-4 down to sensationally snatch triumph by a azygous constituent precisely 12 years ago.

And, fto it not beryllium forgotten that nan Ryder Cup could do pinch different adjacent title aft mostly one-sided location wins during nan past decade.

US skipper Keegan Bradley confirmed this Presidents Cup triumph by beating Kim Si-woo aft nan South Korean missed from six feet connected nan last greenish successful Montreal.

Now Bradley’s thoughts must move to starring astatine Bethpage successful 12 months time. Bethpage is apt to beryllium an utmost 'bear pit' wherever emotions could easy spill complete and move ugly, particularly if Luke Donald’s Europeans make it competitive.

Bradley, who bleeds stars and stripes, will person been delighted to witnesser adjacent manus nan measurement Schauffele, Cantlay and Collin Morikawa dominated nan Presidents Cup, pinch each 3 winning 4 matches retired of five.

They, on pinch world number 1 Scottie Scheffler (three wins and 2 defeats) - who showed uncharacteristically overt passion successful Canada past week - will beryllium nan bedrock of nan US effort successful New York adjacent year.

Europe should person nan power, precision and passion of Rahm successful their team. By playing successful Madrid past week he took a large measurement towards retaining DP World Tour rank and truthful Ryder Cup eligibility.

The 29-year-old mightiness not person won, but if his quality successful nan Spanish superior helps him go portion of a squad that retains successful a raucous Ryder Cup adjacent year, it will still person been good worthy playing - moreover successful conclusion to specified lowly classed opposition.