Exclusive: Sergio Garcia revives Ryder Cup dream with big tour decision

Sergio Garcia has revived his hopes of a dramatic Ryder Cup return after re-applying for his DP World Tour membership. 

The Spaniard resigned from the Tour last May after a sports arbitration panel ratified the sanctions Wentworth HQ imposed on him and other LIV Golf players for competing in the Saudi-backed events without releases.

That made him ineligible for selection at last year’s match at Marco Simone.

But Europe’s all-time record points scorer has now decided to pay his outstanding fines – totalling over £1million – and will serve tournament suspensions before being eligible to compete on the DP World Tour in 2025.

It means he will be available to make an 11th Ryder Cup appearance at next September’s showdown at Bethpage.

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A DP World Tour spokesperson told bunkered.co.uk: “Sergio Garcia submitted his application to return to membership of the DP World Tour for the 2025 season ahead of the deadline on Sunday November 17.”

Garcia had long stated that he is not willing to give up his Ryder Cup ambition.

In a ‘One Year to Go’ press conference in New York last month, Europe captain Luke Donald revealed he had been having conversations with the 44-year-old about a potential return to his old domain.

“He thinks he can play,” Donald said. “He wants to play. I don’t think he has talked to me about being an assistant captain, but again, he would have to re-join the tour for him to be eligible.

“He’s certainly very interested in doing that. He understands everything that’s involved and again, the decision has to go to him whether he’s prepared to do all that. But certainly we’ve had that discussion.”

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It is unclear how many DP World Tour events Garcia will be able to play, but his resurgence on the LIV breakaway this year means he is a genuine contender for selection at Bethpage.

The 44-year-old finished third in LIV’s individual season-standings and inside the top five in six of 14 events in 2024, including a win at Valderrama.

His performances were bettered by only Joaquin Niemann and his countryman Jon Rahm – the man he combined so well with in Europe’s humbling away defeat at Whistling Straits back in 2021.

However, qualifying for Donald’s next side will still prove challenging for Garcia. Europe’s new qualification criteria does not recognise LIV, meaning he will need impressive results on his rare DP World Tour starts and in the majors in the build-up to Bethpage.

Otherwise, Donald may face the dilemma of selecting Garcia as one of his six wildcard picks.

Garcia’s LIV colleagues Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton are also currently eligible for next year’s match on Long Island, pending the outcome of an appeal against fines imposed against them.

The duo both played in the four minimum DP World Tour events required to keep their cards for 2025.

Ben Parsons joined bunkered as a Content Producer in 2023 and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.