22 February 2024 , 12:38
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So, Sergio Garcia wants to be involved in Team Europe's bid to retain the Ryder Cup at Bethpage next year.
The 2017 Masters champion, who was one of the first high-profile stars to accept the Saudis' cash and scurry off to LIV Golf back in 2022, will reapply for membership of the DP World Tour to "give myself the best possibility" of playing in the next Ryder Cup.
In his masterplan, Garcia will remain part of LIV and play the bare minimum of four DP World Tour events per year to boast a European card. That way, he will eligible to be one of Luke Donald's wildcard picks or even a vice-captain.
"If I am eligible, they see I am making the effort and I do well with LIV and I am consistent, then at least hopefully I can be considered," Garcia told the Rick Shiels Golf Show. "Not only because of my game but what I can bring to the team, and my history in the event."
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But does he really think he's still good enough to play in the Ryder Cup? There's no doubting Garcia's pedigree in the biennial event. No one has won more points than his total of 28.5. He's also a six-time winner of the Ryder Cup, having appeared in 10 editions.
Yet Garcia's form in recent years is questionable. He's won just once on the PGA Tour since his Masters triumph, the 2020 Sanders Farm Championship, and hasn't tasted victory on the DP World Tour since his KLM Open win in 2019.
Garcia is also yet to win a LIV tournament. In the 24 events that have been organised by Greg Norman's Saudi-backed circuit, the closest Garcia has come to victory was his play-off defeat to Talor Gooch in Singapore last year. He suffered another play-off defeat in this season's opener in Mayakoba, as Joaquin Niemann - the exciting 25-year-old Chilean - celebrated his first LIV triumph.
Garcia wasn't even high in the rankings when he joined LIV. At the start of 2022, he was No.45 in the world. Now, he's No.606.
Garcia will forever be a Ryder Cup legend - but his time has been and gone (FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)At 44, there's still a chance Garcia can regain the glittering form that saw him win the Masters and finish as runner-up in four other majors. But it would be a big risk for Donald to ignore an exciting youngster for an ageing ally like Garcia, especially after he showed little care for Team Europe when he joined LIV two years ago.
Let's not forget the dire state Team Europe was in after Garcia jumped ship. He was joined at LIV's first ever tournament at Centurion by Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood - all iconic figures in the history of the Ryder Cup.
Paul Casey, a five-time Ryder Cup veteran, soon followed and so did Henrik Stenson - the man who was supposed to captain Team Europe last year before Donald stepped in, saved the day and delivered a captaincy display for the ages. So much so that he is the first man in almost 30 years to retain the role.
Donald should ignore Garcia and continue to put his faith in the next generation of European golfers. That's what he so bravely did at Marco Simone last year - picking rookies Sepp Straka, Nicolai Hojgaard and Ludvig Aberg. The latter hadn't played in a major prior to his Ryder Cup debut (and still hasn't). That was a daring call by Donald, but it worked a treat - as the Europeans stormed to an emphatic 16.5 to 11.5 victory.
If Garcia is serious about rejoining Team Europe, he should leave LIV. He no longer has the star quality required to be an irresistible captain's pick; he's not Jon Rahm. Simply having a DP World Tour card and doing the bare minimum while taking the Saudis' money won't cut it for Garcia.
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