Sergio Garcia sent parting shot to former Ryder Cup captain when joining LIV

McIlroy and Team Europe practice ahead of Ryder Cup

Sergio Garcia could not resist a dig at his former Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn after deciding to join the LIV Golf setup last summer. Garcia has enjoyed a successful career across both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, with his biggest victory coming at the 2017 Masters.

The Spaniard is best known for his efforts at the Ryder Cup though, having become the talisman for Team Europe over the past two decades. Nobody in the history of golf has a better Ryder Cup record than Garcia, with the LIV star the event’s all-time leading points scorer.

The former Masters champion will be unable to add to his tally at this year’s event in Rome though after giving up the chance to represent Europe earlier this year. Following his move to LIV Golf in June 2022, Garcia was forced to resign his DP World Tour membership almost a year later after being sanctioned for his Saudi switch.

Not only did he give up the chance to play on the Wentworth-based tour, but the Fireballs GC captain also became ineligible to compete at the matchplay event against Team USA. Garcia has found himself at the center of the controversy between the LIV circuit and both the PGA and DP World Tour.

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And after making his move 15 months ago, it is fair to say he did not go quietly. On the back of his imminent LIV switch last June, Garcia and co were slammed by 2018 European Ryder Cup captain Bjorn, something Garcia did not take lightly.

In response, the Spaniard said: “I am clear about what I am going to do with the European Tour, probably leave it. I want to play where they want me, I like to feel loved and honestly on the European [DP World] Tour I don’t feel loved now.“When Thomas Bjorn comes to the BMW Championship and tells us that here ‘we don’t want any of you and all the players say so’, well, I’m already old enough not to be putting up with nonsense like that.

“There are comments that do not make you feel good. I have given more than half of my life to the European Tour and I was going to continue on the European Tour. I feel sorry for the Ryder Cup, my resignation is not official, but I’m going to make it effective. I have what I have and I am very happy with it and I want to enjoy it to the fullest. I will play less, I will be more at home.”

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Of course, Garcia’s resignation has since become official, but this did not stop the LIV star from making a last-ditch effort to make Luke Donald’s 2023 European team. According to The Telegraph Garcia offered to clear $853,000 (£700k) in unpaid fines to the DP World Tour in a bid to regain his eligibility for this week’s Ryder Cup.

The offer was however rejected by Tour bosses, who were quick to reiterate Garcia’s lack of membership is what makes him ineligible to compete in Rome. A DP World Tour statement obtained by Express US Sports read: “This entire discussion is a moot point. Even if Sergio Garcia were to pay everything he owes to the PGA European Tour, the simple fact is that he does not fulfill one of the essential, long-standing, and widely known eligibility criteria for Team Europe: i.e.: he is not a member of the DP World Tour.”

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