Jon Rahm on LIV Ryder Cup bad blood: "If there's any animosity, it won't work"
Jon Rahm says he does not believe any animosity in Team Europe's side at the Ryder Cup because of LIV Golf will be an issue in Rome.
PGA Tour star Jon Rahm says he doesn't believe "bad blood" will be a thing for Team Europe at next year's Ryder Cup after LIV Golf's Sergio Garcia effectively confirmed his career in the biennial event is over.
Rahm has been one of the most outspoken players on the topic of LIV Golf players competing in the Ryder Cup.
He's appeared sympathetic to Garcia's position and when the Spaniard revealed he was thinking of resigning his DP World Tour card after the 150th Open Championship in July over "not being loved", Rahm leapt to his defence.
Related: Jon Rahm questions Phil Mickelson's remarks in Jeddah
The 2021 U.S. Open champion claimed that the DP World Tour had "turned their backs" Garcia.
"Sergio knows very well that he has dedicated his life to the European Tour in his 25 years as a pro," Rahm previously said.
"That they turn their backs on him that way doesn't seem right to me. And it is what it is. It is not my decision and that he has to make this decision. It hurts me."
Speaking ahead of the CJ Cup, Rahm yet again approached the topic of the Ryder Cup and it's fair to say he's one side of the divide.
Rory McIlroy may disagree.
Rahm was asked by a reporter if a "welcoming nature" will be key to Luke Donald's side.
Related: Luke Donald says LIV Golf bitterness will be "swept aside" in Rome
"I think it's important," Rahm said. "So far the two Ryder Cups I've been a part of, once you arrive and you're in that team environment, it's an unusual situation where everybody can be truly themselves with players that they maybe usually are not.
"So you need to have that welcoming aspect. If there's some animosity between players, it's just not going to work out. Very few teams can succeed when players don't get along.
"I don't know if you can really make that happen. Like I've said many times, I want Europe to have the strongest team they can have, we can have. Hopefully I'll be in Rome.
Related: Let LIV Golf players in Ryder Cup, says Rahm
He continued: "Yeah, so I want the best players at the time and the best Ryder Cup players to be there, but if that includes having some bad blood and having some issues, I don't know if that's necessarily a thing, right?
"Obviously Rory [McIlroy] mentioned this, a lot of young players playing great and if things can get worked out, obviously those people are going to have a start. That doesn't mean we don't have a chance, it means we're going to have a young team, which is not a bad thing. [The] U.S. last year did okay with a young team, so hopefully we can do the same.
"Plus, a lot of those young players, a lot of us in Europe have grown up playing for our national team, have grown up playing match play for a national team, playing foursomes, four-balls, individual matches and being part of a team, so they're already used to the dynamics. It's just experience in the Ryder Cup, which obviously it's a bigger task."
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