LIV Golf's Sergio Garcia not ruling out shock European Ryder Cup return

LIV Golf's Sergio Garcia remains "hopeful" he can still be part of the European Ryder Cup team.

28 Mar 2024

Sergio Garcia not ruling out shock European Ryder Cup return

Sergio Garcia has not yet given up hope of competing in the European Ryder Cup team again despite having resigned as a member of the DP World Tour last season.

Garcia, 44, remains the top points scorer in Ryder Cup history with a total of 28.5 points.

The Spaniard, who has won the most Ryder Cup matches of any player, chose to step away from the former European Tour circuit last season to concentrate his efforts on the Saudi-bankrolled LIV Golf League.

That decision saw Garcia completely ruled out of making Luke Donald's 2023 European Ryder Cup side, which went on to defeat Zach Johnson's USA team 16.5-11.5 in Rome.

Garcia also binned off his PGA Tour card after joining LIV in 2022.

Sergio Garcia must pay £1m to return to DP World Tour and keep Ryder Cup dream alive

With Garcia and his fellow LIV Golf peers Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell and Henrik Stenson all terminating their DP World Tour cards, they remain locked out of having any involvement in Donald's 2025 European Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black.

Donald will become Europe's first captain since Bernard Gallacher in 1995.

The former World No.1 will aim to become only the second captain to lead Europe to victories both home and away, following the feat of Tony Jacklin at Muirfield Village (1987) and The Belfry (1985).

LIV Golf's Sergio Garcia not ruling out shock European Ryder Cup return

Despite the current regulations ruling Garcia out of the 2025 European Ryder Cup team, as he missed the deadline to apply for 2024 DP World Tour membership in November last season and reportedly still needs to pay off his hefty fine, he remains hopeful ongoing negotiations with PIF will present him a pathway back to the biennial contest.

Garcia told Golfweek this week:

"I look at it two ways. If I’m not able to play anymore it’ll be a little bit sad, but at the same time, I look at it that I’ve played many, many times. I’ve been successful in it both individually and as a team. So that’s what I take from it."

He added:

"Hopefully, things will kind of settle and, you know, we’ll see where everything sits at the end, and hopefully, they just give us the possibility — all of us — to be a part of it again if we’re playing well enough. We’ll see where that settles in the near future."

European Ryder Cup stars Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton moved to LIV Golf this season, but as it stands, they should be eligible to compete in the 2025 European Ryder Cup team due to remaining DP World Tour members.

LIV Golf tees up its next event in Miami next week, before Garcia heads over to compete in The Masters from 11-14 April.

Garcia remains eligible to compete in The Masters due to being a past champion (2017) at Augusta National.

Will Sergio Garcia ever make it back into the European Ryder Cup team? Should LIV Golf players be allowed to play in the Ryder Cup? Share your thoughts and comments over on the GolfMagic social media channels.

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