Rafa Cabrera Bello says Team Europe’s Ryder Cup success has motivated him to recapture his form and be a part of the side in 2025.
The Spaniard is among a host of home stars in the field for this week’s acciona Open de España presented by Madrid, with the Ryder Cup still firmly in the thoughts of European golf.
Cabrera Bello played in the biennial transatlantic contest in 2016 at Hazeltine but has not since been able to make a second appearance – something he is eager to rectify when Bethpage Black hosts in two years’ time.
The four-time DP World Tour winner is currently ranked outside the top 350 on the Official World Golf Ranking but believes the euphoric scenes at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club has “turned a little switch inside me”.
Watching them win and all the celebrations has just given me a huge drive to work hard and try to get my game back so that I can be a part of it in two years’ time
“I sat through and watched 98 per cent of the Ryder Cup,” he said.
“I really enjoyed seeing my colleagues play so well because I think they played amazing golf.
"Watching them be together as a team and how much they care for each other, brought back all the memories from when I participated in 2016 and I really felt that.
“Watching them win and all the celebrations has just given me a huge drive to work hard and try to get my game back so that I can be a part of it in two years’ time.”
Cabrera Bello has competed in all four of the Major Championships during his career, and played on both sides of the Atlantic, but admits the emotion of a Ryder Cup fuels a hunger that can’t quite be replicated elsewhere.
“I've been playing golf professionally for 18 years. Sometimes it is hard to draw motivation,” he added.
“Obviously being in a Major Championship and being in contention to win motivates you.
“Trying to get better every day should be motivation enough, but sometimes it's hard to feel lots of emotions.
“But just sitting there on the couch watching them play brought so many memories that I had from that week. It has definitely turned a little switch inside of me.”
Cabrera Bello is making his 19th appearance at the Open de España, having claimed his most recent Tour win in the event at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid in 2021.
The home contingent is led by two-time Major winner and defending champion Jon Rahm, who is seeking to claim a fourth title in the Spanish capital.
“This was always like a fifth major,” Cabrera Bello said of his home open, which has been won by a Spaniard in each of its last four editions.
“Being at home and with the home crowd, it's very special and it’s on a golf course that I think is a great course and one that I have played well at before. So, I always look forward to coming back here.
The traditional Spanish player photocall 📸#AccionaOpen https://t.co/lESPQfsM5F
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“There are always a lot of Spanish players here obviously. We have Jon Rahm, former World Number One, who's clearly leading all of us.
“He comes from winning the Ryder Cup with the rest of Team Europe. His game is absolutely spectacular. He's going to be the man to try to beat.
“I think all Spanish players always fight hard. We draw from the crowd; we never give up.
“We fight until the end, and we do the best we can. Hopefully it'll be another year that a Spanish player lifts the trophy at the end of the week.”
