Sergio Garcia appears hopeful that he can make a return to the DP World Tour and the European Ryder Cup team, following a phone call with Luke Donald.
Garcia was absent from the European squad at the 2023 Ryder Cup having resigned from the DP World Tour on the back of his move to LIV Golf. The Spaniard quit the Wentworth-based circuit having been issued fines and suspensions for competing in ‘conflicting’ LIV events.
Despite this, the Fireballs captain has shown interest in making a comeback, after returning European skipper Donald revealed earlier this week that the pair had been in contact ahead of next year’s Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
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“Yeah we chatted on the phone a couple of weeks ago,” Donald said of Garcia in a ‘One Year to Go’ press conference alongside rival Keegan Bradley in New York on Tuesday. “He is certainly very interested in doing that. He understands everything that is involved, and again, the decision has to go to him whether he is prepared to do all that, but certainly we have had that discussion yes.”
Garcia has now had his say, and it appears the Spanish star is willing to come to some sort of agreement with the DP World Tour if they also meet some of his needs. “If things improve a little bit with the European Tour and the things that they ask for and the things that we are asking for get close, the decision is 99 percent,” Garcia told Golf Magic.
“But if they don’t make things a tiny bit easier, I’m giving up some things, but they also need to give up a few things, and if we can find that middle ground then you will see me playing a handful of European Tour events. If not, then it will be a little bit tougher, but hopefully that won’t be the case.”
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Sergio Garcia is hoping to make a Ryder Cup return (
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The DP World Tour recently confirmed to Mirror Sports that if Garcia is to make his comeback, he will first need to settle any outstanding sanctions, before being able to reapply for his Tour membership. According to reports though, the Spaniard has quite the fines bill.
Per The Telegraph, it is claimed that Garcia owes a whopping $2 million in sanctions to the DP World Tour. In recent months LIV Golf bosses reached out to the European circuit in a bid to build some common ground between the two Tours and help aid their playing members in the process. Sports Illustrated reported that LIV bosses made an offering to the DP World Tour which included a of settlement for players who owed outstanding fines, whilst also allowing free movement between the two tours.
The DP World Tour opted to reject the offer, meaning Garcia and co will still have to go through the relevant rulings to make a comeback. Mirror Sportshas since learned that the DP World Tour quickly alerted their PGA Tour allies of the offer, and opted to say no in order to remain consistent with their previous stance on the LIV circuit.
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