Sergio Garcia discovers extortionate seven-figure price to complete LIV Golf U-turn

Sergio Garcia opted to resign from the DP World Tour after joining LIV Golf, but the Spanish star has revealed plans to make a return to the Wentworth-based circuit

Sergio Garcia will have to settle fines in excess of $1 million (£800k) if he is to regain his DP World Tour membership and Ryder Cup eligibility.

Garcia was one of Europe’s high-profile players to join LIV Golf in June 2022, but the decision to move to Saudi Arabia came at a price. After a long legal battle, DP World Tour won the right to impose fines and suspensions on members who participated in LIV events. Garcia, a former Masters champion who falls into this category, decided to relinquish his membership on the DP World Tour amidst the initial sanctions to avoid further sanctions.

More importantly for the Spaniard, relinquishing his Tour card meant relinquishing his spot in the Ryder Cup, where he is the team’s overall leading scorer. Appearing on the Rick Shields Golf Show earlier this month, Garcia announced his intention to reinstate his membership on the DP World Tour with the hope of returning to the Ryder Cup in 2025.

“I’m going to play on the European Tour again,” Garcia said. “When I joined LIV, I always said that I wanted to remain a member of the DP World Tour. Obviously it hasn’t been easy, but I want to give myself the best opportunity to play in the Ryder Cup.

“If you only play a few tournaments and don’t do well, it’s not easy to play. But at the end of the day, if I’m qualified and they see that I’m working hard and doing well and being consistent at LIV, then I hope they’ll at least take me into consideration. I am. It’s not just about my performance, it’s also about what I can do. I plan to tell my story to the team at the event.

According to the Telegraph, Garcia must first settle his outstanding fine if he wants to have a chance to feature in Luke Donald’s Bethpage Black European squad in 2025. According to reports, Garcia is the only LIV star still unpaid. The original fine was £100,000 and was first imposed last spring. Telegraph sources said the Fireballs captain said he would only pay the penalty if he was considered for selection for the 2025 Ryder Cup. “Sergio’s comments were strange considering he resigned after refusing to pay the first fine,” the source said. He said.