Sergio Garcia says players, not Darren Clarke, were to blame for Ryder Cup loss
By SSN HQ
Last Updated: 08/11/16 10:37am
Sergio Garcia says the players were to blame for Europe's Ryder Cup defeat at Hazeltine and that he is not yet thinking about captaincy.
Europe slumped to a 17-11 defeat in Minnesota after failing to recover from the opening morning when they lost all four foursomes matches.
But Garcia told Sky Sports News HQ that the players accepted full responsibility for the result, refusing to pass any blame onto captain Darren Clarke.
"In the European team, we never criticise our captains. It doesn't matter if they are good or bad - the captain can do everything right - if the players don't play well enough," he said.
"The Ryder Cup just comes down to playing well that week and making more putts than your opponent and we've been fortunate to do that for a while now and this year, they were a little bit better than us."
European Tour chief executive Keith Pelley has hinted he will consider making changes to the qualification criteria for the team for the next event, while Rory McIlroy bemoaned a system which did not allow Paul Casey on the team, but Garcia insists huge changes are not needed.
"The important thing is we don't panic now. We've won eight of the last 11 so we're doing some thing right. Maybe a little change here or there, but there shouldn't be major changes because we've been very successful."
Garcia's singles match with Phil Mickelson was one of the highlights of the weekend, with both players in brilliant form to share the point.
"It was a great game. Unfortunately it didn't matter, as harsh as that might sound," added the Spaniard. "It was a great match, we both made a lot of birdies, made very few mistakes.
"It was exciting to go birdie after birdie after birdie at each other. It's the sort of match you remember and it was a great half in the end I guess."
Garcia hopes to enjoy a few more Ryder Cups as a player and believes Europe will be in good hands in 2018, whoever is picked as captain.
"The next in line are Paul Lawrie, Thomas Bjorn and probably Miguel Angel Jimenez. They are three great choices, three great men. They've been part of the Ryder Cup for a long time. At the moment I'm not thinking about it. I want to play in many more. I'm still in great shape and playing good golf."
