DP World Tour threatens action against Sergio Garcia over unpaid fine

The DP World Tour has pledged to take “appropriate action” against Sergio Garcia if the Spaniard does not pay his £100,000 fine for playing in the inaugural LIV event last year.

In a statement, the former European Tour confirmed that the 2017 Masters champion is the only one of 17 players yet to pay the six-figure sanction, originally imposed in July 2022 and upheld last month by an independent arbitrator.

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In a statement, the tour said: “Sergio Garcia has not paid his £100,000 fine, nor has he given any indication that he intends to.

“We will therefore take appropriate action if he continues not to respect the Sport Resolutions panel’s decision.”

A panel appointed by Sports Resolutions gave 17 golfers 30 days to pay their fines following its decision to uphold the DP World Tour’s sanctions, announced on April 7.

According to the DP World Tour, 16 of them have done so: Richard Bland, Laurie Canter, Branden Grace, Justin Harding, Sam Horsfield, Martin Kaymer, Pablo Larrazabal and Graeme McDowell, as well as Shaun Norris, Wade Ormsby, Adrian Otaegui, Ian Poulter, Patrick Reed, Charl Schwartzel, Lee Westwood and Bernd Wiesberger.

Garcia – who resigned his DP World Tour membership yesterday alongside Westwood, Poulter and Bland – has so far not responded to the tour’s claims.

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Since making his debut as an amateur in 1995, Garcia has clocked up 323 DP World Tour appearances, winning 16 times. The last of his victories came in the 2019 KLM Open.

With career earnings of €30,100,249, he is the third highest-earner in DP World Tour history.

The 43-year-old is also the all-time record points-scorer in the Ryder Cup.

In the same statement, the DP World Tour confirmed that details of further sanctions for players who breached the Conflicting Tournament Regulation by playing in subsequent conflicting events without a release will be announced next week.

Michael McEwan is the Deputy Editor of bunkered and has been part of the team since 2004. In that time, he has interviewed almost every major figure within the sport, from Jack Nicklaus, to Rory McIlroy, to Donald Trump. The host of the multi award-winning bunkered Podcast and a member of Balfron Golfing Society, Michael is the author of three books and is the 2023 PPA Scotland 'Writer of the Year' and 'Columnist of the Year'. Dislikes white belts, yellow balls and iron headcovers. Likes being drawn out of the media ballot to play Augusta National.

Deputy Editor