Sergio Garcia LEAVES Ryder Cup after double rejecting his intention to play in controversial LIV series, claiming he didn’t ‘felt loved’ as he takes a swipe at Thomas Bjorn
Sergio Garcia has reaffirmed his intention to retire from the Ryder Cup for the LIV Tour
The Spaniard said he no longer feels welcome on the DP World Tour
He targeted fellow golfer Thomas Bjorn who criticized players destined for LIV
Garcia is the all-time record scorer in the Ryder Cup, but no longer competing
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Sergio Garcia has turned his back on the Ryder Cup after reaffirming his intention to play in the controversial LIV Golf series.
The all-time top scorer from the biennial tournament has now indicated that he wants to retire from the DP World Tour, previously known as the European Tour, and emphasized that he “feels unloved”.
While Garcia was unlikely to qualify for next year’s edition in Italy, his status in the game meant he was almost certainly a future captain.
All-time leading scorer Sergio Garcia has turned his back on the Ryder Cup
Garcia spoke at The Open Championship and said he will play on the LIV Tour
But that door now appears to have been closed after the 42-year-old Spaniard chose to double his move to LIV.
He also took a swipe at former Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn, who has been an outspoken critic of LIV and all the players who have switched to the Saudi-backed series.
Speaking after opting out of The Open Championship in St Andrews, Garcia told Spanish reporters: “I’m clear about what I’m going to do with the European Tour, probably leaving.
“I want to play where they want me. I like to feel loved and frankly I don’t feel loved on the European Tour right now.
“If Thomas Bjorn comes to the BMW championship and tells us, ‘We don’t want any of you and all the players to say that’, well, then I’m old enough not to bear such nonsense.
“There are comments that you don’t feel comfortable with. I gave more than half my life to the European Tour and I would continue with the European Tour.
Garcia said he would go on with DP World Tour but claims he doesn’t ‘feel loved’
“I feel sorry for the Ryder Cup. My resignation is not official, but I’m going to make it effective.
‘What they are doing is a shame, because the European Tour will be the fifth in the world.
“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 home more.
“If I don’t play majors, I don’t play them. I don’t care too much either.’
Garcia is one of the many European Ryder Cup fans who have defected to the LIV circuit, along with England’s Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood.
Poulter was booed by some onlookers as he set it up for his opening round in St Andrews on Thursday, but he claimed to have heard nothing.
When asked if he had enjoyed his experience of the past week at the Old Course, Garcia, who finished at two under par, replied: “Not much. I enjoyed the audience, but that was it.’
Garcia took aim at Thomas Bjorn from Denmark, who said players with an LIV destination are not welcome
Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy has also spoken out against Saudi-backed LIV Tour
Garcia has a long and storied history with The Open Championship and is also a former Masters champion. He came closest to lifting the Claret Jug at Carnoustie in 2007, narrowly missing Padraig Harrington.
But there remains a possibility that his performance in St Andrews may well be his last on the elite stage, with golf leaders exploring the idea of banning the LIV rebels from all majors.
When asked if he felt any sense of regret, he added, “I wouldn’t say sorry. A bit of disappointment of course, because I’ve been close and I love this championship and this crowd very much. Sometimes you don’t get what you want or what you want.
‘I have good memories. Unfortunately I never got to play with Seve here. That would have been nice.
‘I don’t know (if I’ll be back). When is the next one here? 2030. Yes, probably heavy.
“And the way everyone reacts to us (the LIV Golf players) is probably even harder. It is what it is. It’s coming to an end.’