Sergio Garcia in action during the LIV Golf Mayakoba in Mexico this month Photo: Shutterstock/Alonso Cupul
Sergio Garcia's plan to return to The DP World Tour roster and next year's Ryder Cup bid will remain unfulfilled unless he pays a backlog of more than $1 million in fines.
Officials at Wentworth headquarters were taken aback by Garcia's comments in a recently published Interview with Rick Shiels, PGA Professional, host of the largest golf channel on YouTube with nearly three million subscribers.
“Sergio is either in denial or completely oblivious to the obstacles he needs to overcome to become a member of the organization again,” the insider said.
In the podcast, Garcia stated his intention to return to the Tour after leaving retired last year and said he would play a minimum of four tournaments to keep his 2025 card. This will qualify him for the Ryder Cup match in New York, where Luke Donald's team will try to become the first away team to win in 13 years.
“I’m going to be on the European Tour again,” Garcia said. “When I joined LIV, I always said that I wanted to continue to be a member of the DP World Tour. Obviously they haven't made it too easy, [but] I want to give myself the best opportunity to play in the Ryder Cup.
“You only play a few tournaments and it's not easy to do it if you don't do well. But I think at the end of the day, if I'm eligible, they see that I'm putting in the effort and I'm doing well with LIV and I'm consistent, then at least hopefully I can be considered, not just because of my performance, but also because of what I can do. I'll bring my history to the team.»
Garcia is the all-time leading Ryder Cup scorer and his admiration for the match is undeniable. Ahead of the 2023 showdown, Telegraph Sport exclusively revealed that he had made a late bid to play in Italy and offered to pay off fines he had accumulated for playing in the LIV Golf League without official notice.
The Spaniard was told this was not possible and was told that to regain his gaming privileges he would have to reapply and pay off his debt. Garcia missed the tour's original Nov. 19 deadline to submit his application, and while the deadline has been extended to May 1, this is only happening in «exceptional circumstances.»
These are no doubt exceptional times, but Garcia owes £893,000 in sanctions and is the only LIV player yet to pay the original £100,000 fine imposed after the Tour won a court hearing last April.
Sources said he will also have to serve a nine-week suspension before he can compete in any Tour events.
“Sergio's statement was strange given that he had filed resignation after refusing to pay the first fine,” the source said. “He is probably hoping that current negotiations with the PIF (Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund) will result in a deal, amnesty and a clear way back.
“But there is a strong feeling among the rank and file on tour that fines will have to be paid first — and Sergio has so far offered to pay only if he can be considered for the Ryder Cup.< /p>
“ Let's just say his plan is unlikely at this point, and the caveat is that the 2024 rules state that membership applications can be rejected for any reason.»
Garcia, 44, finished second in the first LIV tournament in Mexico this month and advanced to the first round in Jeddah, the league's third tournament of the year.
The focus of the $25 million Royal Greens tournament will be on Anthony Kim, the former American boy wonder who, at 38, hasn't played in 12 years.
Meanwhile , on the PGA Tour in Florida, Rory McIlroy shot a first-round four-under 67 at the Cowlant Classic. He left world number two three places off the initial pace set by American Chad Ramey.
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