How badly did Sergio Garcia wish to play at the Ryder Cup next week in Rome?
According to a Telegraph report, Garcia went to great lengths in order to aid his own cause. He offered to pay nearly a $1 million dollar fine to the DP World Tour.
According to golf journalist Jamie Corrigan, Garcia made a last ditch effort to get into the European team. His offer was PS700,000. That’s about $867,000.
Jon Rahm has publicly campaigned to allow Garcia, his Spanish colleague who holds the record for the most Ryder Cup wins, to play in the next Ryder Cup.
Garcia and other former European Ryder Cup stars such as Ian Poulter Graeme McDowell, Lee Westwood Martin Kaymer, were ruled ineligible for Luke Donald’s Euro Squad because of the requirement to be a DP World Tour member, who runs the European team during the biennial matches. Garcia resigned from his position in May.
The 43-year old former Masters champion, who has been playing for LIV Golf in Italy since 2022, initially refused to pay a hefty penalty to the DP World Tour. This tour is scheduled to begin on September 29. According to reports, the tour declined his offer.
Garcia has 25-13-7 records in 10 Ryder Cup appearances.
Garcia will compete near Chicago at the next LIV Golf tournament, the 12th event on the schedule for 2023.
