Romain Langasque: “Today, I have a 20% chance of being in Bethpage…”

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Romain Langasque is one of four French people selected by Luke Donald for the continental European team for the Team Cup, a dress rehearsal for the Ryder Cup. The Riviera is aware that he must redouble his efforts this year to hope to be part of the adventure next September in the suburbs of New York. Interview without tongue in cheek.

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Romain Langasque arrived this Tuesday in Abu Dhabi, host of this Team Cup 2025 pitting the Continentals against the British and Irish. He has been in the Emirates since last Saturday, more precisely in Dubai where he trained intensely on the courses of the The Club a you Trump International Club. As he confirmed to us over a quarter of an hour by telephone, all the lights are green. All that’s left to do is…

GOLF PLANETE: What did you do after the Dunhill Championship at Leopard Creek until your return to competition at the beginning of January?
Romain LANGASQUE : When I returned from South Africa until January 1st, I didn’t touch the clubs. It did me a lot of good. I needed it somewhere. The end of the season was intense. I played really well in South Africa (Editor’s note, 2nd at Nedbank, 15th at Dunhill Championship) but it was very hot there. I felt like I needed to cut it down and get out of golf for a bit. More morally than physically…

GP: Has this missed playing right for the 2025 PGA Tour been definitively digested?
R.L. : Completely ! I digested it much better than the first time, at the end of 2023. At that time, it was really very hard to accept it. There, it was much simpler. Frankly, I feel much more detached from the outcome of what I may have experienced before.

GP: You were called up for this Team Cup on December 11 as the tenth man, just after the Nedbank Golf Challenge. Who contacted you? How did you learn it?
R.L. : It was Luke Donald who called me directly. Half an hour after my Sunday game at Nedbank. I kind of expected it somewhere, in the sense that I think I deserved that last place. I finished as the best European in this tournament and I knew that a name was going to be named at the end of the Nedbank… I was extremely happy but on the other hand, I knew that I had earned my place. I wasn’t surprised but rather extremely satisfied. And above all, super proud to have managed to bounce back very quickly after missing the card on the PGA Tour. Representing the continental European team is really close to my heart.

GP: What state of mind are you in a few hours before the start of this 2025 version of the Team Cup?
R.L. : I feel good. I play well. The atmosphere, the organization is really great. It’s always a good tournament to get back into the game after a break. I’m happy. All the lights are green.

GP: You published on a social network the photo of the locker room of the continental European team. It really feels like you’re in a football team’s locker room…
R.L. : Yes. It’s very nice. In the rooms, we had our outfits waiting for us. It’s the little things that really make you happy.

GP: What has impressed you the most since joining this European team?
RL: I didn’t expect it to be so well organized. There is really nothing left to chance. For once, there is a real eye for detail. It’s very surprising and above all very pleasant.

GP: Three French people in the team also undoubtedly makes you feel even more comfortable, right?
R.L. : It’s true that it’s cool. This shows the constant progress of French golf (Editor’s note, interview carried out before the official selection Thursday morning of Julien Guerrier to replace Nicolai Højgaard, who is ill). The Federation, Pascal (Grizot), must be happy to see that is so well represented. There has been great emulation in French golf for several years now. And that plays a big role in the recent excellent overall results.

GP: Are you going to play this Team Cup alongside another French player?
R.L. : From what I understand, there is a chance that I will play with Matthieu (Pavon) all week. From what I saw, it would be Nicolai (Højgaard) with Francesco (Molinari) (Editor’s note, before the Dane’s package on Thursday morning). Manassero with Antoine (Rozner). Rasmus (Højgaard) with Rasmus (Neergaard-Petersen), Thorbjørn (Olesen) with Niklas (Nørgaard). Mais ça peut evidently changer…

GP: Do you have a preference in game formats? Do you feel more comfortable in fourballs than in foursomes for example?
R.L. : My game is quite complete, quite global. I feel good in any formula.

GP: Have you had any one-on-one discussions with Luke Donald?
R.L. : A little before the tournament, by message. For preferences, characters… We had small discussions, in fact. But it’s not the Ryder Cup yet…

To really have a chance, I think I must already enter the top 50 in the world. I’m not very far away. We will also have to play well in the weeks leading up to the Ryder Cup.

GP: You have just pointed out, this Team Cup is a dress rehearsal for the Ryder Cup in Bethpage next September. What are your chances of participating in this event today?
R.L. : Today, I would say I have maybe a 20% chance of being in Bethpage. So there is still a way to go…

GP: What will it take to be part of this adventure? For example, achieve a big success next week at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the first Rolex Series of the season?
R.L. : To really have a chance, I think I must already enter the top 50 in the world. I’m not very far (Editor’s note, as of January 5, 2025, it is in 77th place in the world). We will also have to play well in the weeks leading up to the Ryder Cup. Showing good things at the end… I think this week could be interesting, particularly on our attitude, on the way of being, on the way of doing… Afterwards, we must not lie to ourselves, that’s the way which you play the last two months before the Ryder Cup which is important. I see it like that. You’ll have to be good at the right time.

GP: In 2023, at the end of the Hero Cup (renamed Team Cup in 2025), six players (four British and two Continentals)* were selected to play the 44th Ryder Cup in history in Rome. How many players in Abu Dhabi this week do you think will be traveling to the United States?
RL: If there are six, that would be exceptional. This would be 50% of the 2025 Ryder Cup team. This week, there is (Tommy) Fleetwood, (Tyrrell) Hatton, Justin Rose, who are three great players… Afterwards, we all potentially have our place in this team. The Ryder is elite. It’s only twelve players. There is no room for error. If there are six present this week, that would be exceptional. Four would already be good. We also have to see what will happen with the LIV Golf players. Moreover, on this last point, we all hope that an agreement will be ratified very soon.

GP: What does the Ryder Cup mean to you?
R.L. : Win it! I want to win this Ryder Cup. Then there is emotion. It’s truly a childhood dream. There are times when I tell myself that if I win the Ryder Cup, it’s possible that I’ll retire right away…

GP: Are you serious?
R.L. : Yes, very sincerely! If I ever win it one day, and if I continue, it will only be for the financial side. But it’s possible that afterwards, I’ll want to do something else. Really. It’s really my dream. Once I reach it… (He stops) Secondly, there is also this dream of winning the Masters. It requires so many sacrifices, so many things that… (He stops again) I am 30 years old. If it happens in six months, maybe that will be a little early. But if I qualify in one of the next three or four Ryder Cups, after that I would have achieved my main goal. That’s what I feel deep down, anyway.

GP: You mention the financial aspect, which is important when you are a professional golfer. What is your feeling about the controversy surrounding the $500,000 bonus granted by the PGA of America to players on the US Ryder Cup team?
R.L. : I find it a shame because it tarnishes the image of this event. It was precisely one of the last tournaments where it was the heart that spoke, and not the money. Afterwards, we must not forget that the Ryder Cup generates maximum money. And the main players in the Ryder Cup are first and foremost the players. I think first of all that the Ryder Cup is everything but the money. It’s the heart, it’s the team, it’s the prestige, the emotions… Are the American players right or wrong? I would say they are wrong. Because they make a lot of money the rest of the year. In summary, I disagree with them and would prefer that this money be used for something else. I saw that they would donate this bonus to charity. In that sense, yes, it can be interesting.

*Shane Lowry, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Nicolai Højgaard, Sepp Straka.

Photos : Richard HEATHCOTE / GETTY IMAGES EUROPE / Getty Images via AFP

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