Luke Donald admits Sergio Garcia 'needs to show more' if he wants Ryder Cup captain's pick

Sergio Garcia sounds likely to miss out on the 2025 European Ryder Cup team, at least after what Luke Donald has told GolfMagic. 

Donald, 47, spoke to GolfMagic ahead of this week's Betfred British Masters at The Belfry, which marks the final qualifying event for automatic selection on the European Ryder Cup team.

Five of the six automatic spots are already locked on Donald's team with Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, Bob MacIntyre and Tyrrell Hatton punching their tickets to Bethpage in New York from 26-28 September.

The last automatic spot will be fought out between Rasmus Hojgaard and Shane Lowry.

Hojgaard just needs a top-29 finish at the British Masters to earn his debut appearance on the team.

Lowry is competing on the Tour Championship on the PGA Tour, but there are no qualification points available in the 30-man FedEx Cup finale so it will be a waiting game for the Irishman this weekend. 

As for Donald's six captain's picks, which will be announced on Monday 1 September, it sounds highly likely that record Ryder Cup points (28.5) scorer Garcia will miss out.

Scroll down for Donald's comments...

Garcia, 45, is attempting to join Sir Nick Faldo and Lee Westwood for a record 11 appearances on the European Ryder Cup team. 

The Fireballs GC captain is committed to compete in LIV Golf's season-ending Team Championship in Michigan this week.

That will be his last chance to impress. 

Garcia paid off his fines at the end of last season, which allowed him to return to the DP World Tour in a bid to get back on the Ryder Cup team.

Following a bright start to his campaign with a second LIV Golf title in Hong Kong in March, Garcia's game has since stalled with just one top-10 finish in his last 11 starts. 

After missing the cut at The Masters in April and then finishing T67 at the PGA Championship in May, Garcia openly admitted he would not even have accepted a captain's pick from Donald given the way he was playing at the start of the summer. 

Three months on and Donald is still leaving the door ajar for Garcia to make the team, but his chances look slim to say the least. 

"Yeah, I've had many conversations with Sergio and we've talked a couple times," Donald told GolfMagic's Andy Roberts at The Belfry.

"Sergio's form since Augusta, he said it at the PGA, 'even if he gave me a pick, I probably wouldn't take it. I'm not playing well enough.' 

"It's improved a little bit, but I think, you know, what he brings in terms of his Ryder Cup pedigree is one thing, but his form would need to show a little bit more improvement, especially this following week."

Garcia's last chance to stir Donald's pot will come at the LIV Golf Team Championship this week.

The Spaniard is not down on the entry list for next week's Omega European Masters in Switzerland, the final event before Donald makes his six picks. 

As for how Donald's team is shaping up for their biennial dust-up in New York, the Englishman is delighted.

Donald is looking to become the first captain since his compatriot Tony Jacklin to lead Europe to back to back victories.

Jacklin achieved that feat in 1985 and 1987, and he also secured a draw in 1989 to make it three successful captaincies. 

Donald skippered the Europeans to a commanding five-point victory at Marco Simone in Rome, Italy, in September 2023. 

Should Hojgaard indeed play his way into the automatic six as expected this week, Donald's six captain's picks are expected to be handed to Lowry, Jon Rahm, Ludvig Aberg, Sepp Straka, Viktor Hovland and Matt Fitzpatrick on 1 September. 

English duo Harry Hall and Marco Penge also appear to have chances if they continue to impress on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour respectively.

Big-hitting Penge won his second title of the DP World Tour season when holding off home favourite Hojgaard to win the Danish Golf Championship last weekend, while Hall has strung together 12 consecutive top-35 finishes on the PGA Tour, which has seen him qualify for this week's 30-man Tour Championship.

Hall is also statistically the fifth best European player on the PGA Tour the past three months, he has the most rounds in the 60s of anyone on the PGA Tour, and he's also ranked as the best putter on the circuit. 

"Yeah, I'm very happy with how things are shaping up," Donald said during his press conference at the British Masters. 

"I think we've got off to a very strong start with all those wins in the US. 

"We've had many, many performances in recent weeks and every time I feel like I turn on the TV, there's a bunch of good, strong European players contending.

"Justin obviously winning a couple weeks ago, Tommy coming close many times, and playing really well and goes on and on. 

"Obviously excited about the five that are locked in. There's a bunch of guys on that team that are still performing well with Viktor, Ludvig, Sepp, Shane, Fitzy has been playing really well.

"But you've got some other guys that are trying to force their way on to the team, like Marco last week, really tremendous performance, looks very much in control and tough circumstances against a crowd that was. 

"Harry Hall has been playing great. 

"There's many others, as well, that obviously are still really on the radar. 

"It always happens in Ryder Cups. People make a push at the end and want to be part of the team. Even though it's a headache for me in terms of how many players are giving themselves a chance it's really a good headache.

"It's a good opportunity for me to see all these players and how much they really want to be part of it. Yeah, I'm excited to see how these next couple weeks turn out."