Sergio Garcia will make a return to Europe next season, but remains confident about LIV Golf’s uncertain future…
Sergio Garcia is planning to rejoin the DP World Tour in 2027, but he’s still optimistic about LIV Golf’s precarious future.
The Spaniard retains strong belief that LIV will survive – albeit in a different form next year – as the embattled league searches for the $300 million it requires from new investors to continue operating following the retreat of their sole financial backers, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.
But while the rampant uncertainty surrounding LIV continues, Garcia is set to revive his membership on the DP World Tour, his longtime domain which he first resigned from more than three years ago.
It was in May 2023 that Europe’s record Ryder Cup points scorer first relinquished his card on his home tour in the wake of mounting penalties imposed for breaking the circuit’s Conflicting Tournament Regulation by playing LIV events.
Garcia later settled fines of around $1 million to regain membership in a dramatic late attempt to make Luke Donald’s European side in 2025. But after falling short, he gave up his card again after failing to meet the minimum number of events required for an automatic renewal. The 46-year-old has made two DP World Tour starts this year – missing the cut at last week’s BMW International Open – but is restricted to a limited number of tournament invites without holding a card.
Now, though, Garcia is set to return again. He expects to play three more times in Europe this season and after missing out on an Open spot at Final Qualifying – seemingly no thanks to a lunchtime lasagne at West Lancashire – Garcia confirmed to TG that he plans to get his card back next season.
It seems unlikely that Garcia will be the only LIV player making the call to Wentworth HQ before November’s deadline. TG has learned that several players have contacted the DP World Tour as part of their contingency planning for next season. Meanwhile, Garcia’s former Ryder Cup teammates Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter have both now settled their fines with the circuit, paving the way for their own potential comebacks after ending long-standing disputes.
Garcia, Westwood and Poulter have contributed a combined total of 68.5 points for Team Europe in their storied careers, but rejoining the DP World Tour would not make the trio eligible to become Ryder Cup captains. Current rules stipulate that anybody who has given up their membership for any reason cannot serve as a captain or vice-captain.
Garcia will hold hope that these rules can be amended and he can continue his love affair with the Ryder Cup, but in the meantime is keeping a close eye on developments at LIV.
“It looks good,” Garcia said when asked about conversations with the league’s CEO Scott O’Neil.
“I think they’ve had a lot of meetings with different potential investors and like I’ve been saying, I’m 99% sure LIV is going to continue, it’s just going to look different than it has in the last four years. But I’m very very confident it’s going to keep going, we’ll see how it develops.”