South African Rory Sabbatini and now a Slovakian national is sure to create what could only be described as a totally bizarre European Ryder Cup historic first should he qualify for the 2020 team.

It was this journalist who asked European Captain, Padraig Harrington ahead of the recent BMW PGA Championship if the now 43-year old Sabbatini was on Harrington’s list of likely Wisconsin-bound team probables.

Harrington confirmed with just one word  – ‘Yes’.

Now in his first qualifying event for the 2020 Ryder Cup and Sabbitini has put himself straight under the European Team qualifying process spotlight in producing a round a 65, using a yellow coloured golf ball, and muscle his way to second place on the openig day of the 76th Italian Open.

Sabbatini was born in Durban, South Africa but earlier this year he changed his citizenship to Slovakia, and the same nationality as his wife and stepson.  Sabbatini’s wife’s cousin is the vice president of the Slovak Golf Association. Initially, there was speculation that the move was made in order for Sabbatini to qualify for the 2020 Olympics, but he said it was to help grow the game in that country.

South African-born and now Slovakian national Rory Sabbatini muscles his way to second place on day one of the Italian Open (Photo – European Tour/Getty)

The Olympics use the OWGR for qualification and the then 201st-ranked Sabbatini in October 2016 would not have qualified for South Africa. Sabbatini also has a UK passport and US citizenship.

In the final round of the 2005 Booz Allen Classic, he was apparently frustrated by the slow pace of play by his partner, Ben Crane so much so Sabbatini finished the 17th hole and walked over to the next tee, leaving Crane behind to complete the hole by himself. He received heavy criticism, and some sympathy, and later apologised for the incident.

Sabbatini also made waves following the 2007 Wachovia Championship when, after leading the field by one stroke after day three and then giving up five strokes to Tiger Woods to lose the tournament on Sunday, he proclaimed that Woods was “more beatable than ever.”  In the final round of the 2007 WGC – Bridgestone Invitational he had a fan removed who heckled him with questions about Tiger Woods. Then, in December of the same year, more controversy was stirred when he withdrew from the Target World Challenge being hosted by Woods, becoming the only player in history to withdraw from that event.

In 2011, Sabbatini created more controversy when at the Northern Trust, after hitting his ball in the rough, a volunteer helped to locate the ball, but Sabbatini, thinking that the volunteer had moved his ball, yelled at him. He later apologised to avoid being penalised.  Earlier that same year, Sabbatini got into a heated, profanity-laced argument with Zurich Classic of New Orleans playing partner Sean O’Hair for undisclosed reasons. His penalty was also undisclosed because of the PGA Tour’s policy.

This journalist was reporting on the 2006 Players Championship when Sabbatini was drawn with Nick Faldo for the opening two rounds but Sabbatini was furious at the pace of play so much so his then wife, Amy wore a homemade black T-shirt on day two of the TPC Sawgrass event emblazoned with the words ‘Keep Up’.

The media were uncertain whether to approach Faldo for a comment but then the six-time Major winner reaction as pure Faldo who responded:  “I think it’s very embarrassing for them to bring their sexual problems to the golf course. Poor fellow. I thought he had enough problems as it is without her announcing them to the world.”

Now, and with Harrington clearly taking a liking of his credentials, Sabbatini could not only become the first Slovakian to represent Europe in a Ryder Cup but also the first former South African national to pull on the European Team colours.