"He was supposed to be here" Rory McIlroy reacts to Sergio Garcia's Irish Open WD

Rory McIlroy has defended Sergio Garcia’s right to pull out of this week’s Amgen Irish Open, although he admitted he does not fully understand the reasons behind the Spaniard's decision.

Garcia was slated to make his second DP World Tour appearance of the season at The K Club, but he withdrew earlier this week after missing out on a place in the European Ryder Cup team for Bethpage.

In a GolfMagic exclusive, the 2017 Masters champion said he “would not be fully engaged” on playing at the Irish Open as he dealt with the disappointment of not being a part of Luke Donald’s team in any capacity.

Not that he’s laying low. 

The 45-year-old was spotted in the stands at the US Open on Tuesday watching his fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who cruised into the semi-finals before revealing he would be playing golf with Garcia ahead of his last-four clash against Novak Djokovic.

“He was supposed to be here,” said McIlroy, who served as a groomsman for Garcia at his wedding in 2017. “It would have been great for the tournament if Sergio played."

But when asked if he understood why Garcia had pulled out, he added: “No, I don't. Obviously he was trying to keep himself sharp, I guess, if he did get a pick. But look, he has the right to enter and pull out of whatever tournaments he wants to.

“Luke has assembled a very strong 12 players, and I think it's the right 12 players. I'm sure Sergio is disappointed, but at the same time, I'm sure he wishes Europe well.”

European captain Donald understands Garcia's disappointment at not having the chance to extend his record Ryder Cup points tally, although he hinted that the Spaniard's schedule did not help his cause.

“I think Sergio’s disappointed like all of the others that felt like they might have a chance to make the team," said Donald. “I don’t tell people what to do with their schedules unless it’s really close. 

"He fully understands that the Irish was after the qualification finish, after the team was picked. Unfortunately with Sergio I just felt like his form just wasn’t quite good enough to make the team that was full of so many people playing well.”

McIlroy, a winner at The K Club in a memorable finish in 2016, has a busy few weeks ahead as he spearheads the fields at the Irish Open and next week’s BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth before he heads to New York for the Ryder Cup.

The 36-year-old has already enjoyed an outstanding 2025 campaign, winning at Pebble Beach and TPC Sawgrass before finally ending his long wait for success at the Masters, which made him only the sixth player in history to complete the career Grand Slam of majors.

And if he can lead Europe to victory at the Ryder Cup later this month, McIlroy believes that would cap the greatest year of his stellar career.

“I guess it's the year that everything came together for me,” he said. “The Masters was basically the one piece of the puzzle that was left for me to complete.

“When I look at my career as a golfer, I’ve basically done everything I wanted to. I guess everything after that, it's a bonus, but you have to reassess your goals.

“Obviously I'd love to win this week, and I’d love to win next week at Wentworth. But the one thing for me this year to reassess my goals, an away Ryder Cup.

“After everything that's happened this year, I would look back on 2025, if I did have a better year in the game, I'd love to see it. But if we were to win an away Ryder Cup with everything else that I've been through this year, 2025 would be the best year of my career.”