Garcia misses Donald

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Sergio Garcia admits it is going to be strange playing in the Ryder Cup without Luke Donald.

Donald failed to qualify then was overlooked by captain Paul McGinley as a wildcard pick after a winless 2014. Donald and Garcia had paired up in past Ryder Cup’s to good effect.

“It would have been great for Luke to make it, obviously being a good friend of mine and a former playing partner of mine,” revealed the 34-year-old on theguardian.com.

“But at the same time, there are a lot of good players, a lot of guys who have been playing really well, and you cannot pick them all. We can only have 12.

“I have talked to Luke a little bit and it was hard for him, but he knows that if he had played a little bit better, from probably the [WGC] Bridgestone [Invitational] onwards, he would have been on the team. Unfortunately he just wasn’t able to do it. It is not the end of the world. He will be back, he will be fine.”

After former world number one Lee Westwood, Garcia is the most experience campaigner in the European Ryder Cup team with 28 matches and 16 wins under his belt. Despite not being British, the Spaniard has always received a welcoming reception from the galleries.

“I have always said it, I feel very fortunate the way the British people have always treated me,” added the 11 time European Tour winner.

“But the Ryder Cup is slightly different anyway, it is a scenario where everybody is pulling for everybody anyway so I’m sure it will be amazing at Gleneagles just as it always is. I’m excited about it. It should be good fun.

“I just love it. It’s like the Open, I love that tournament. And I have been fortunate to do well in that tournament for a while, as well. It is just as simple as that; I love the event, I love the team experience, I love the atmosphere of it. It is different.”

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