Garcia Hits Out At Ryder Cup Team-Mates

Once upon a time everybody loved Sergio Garcia. Then, over time, his popularity waned a little and these days he's very hit and miss for many of us.

He recently exited the PGA Championship after one round, only to appear at a college football match at the weekend. The Spaniard would complain about this and that and there was no hint of an apology.

“I didn't enjoy the way we were getting treated, not only myself, and for me mentally it was tough to be there and focus after giving more than half my life to the Tour. I was playing great and excited to get there and get some Ryder Cup points and everything, but already on Thursday morning after Pelley's and Horschel's press conferences, I wasn't right. I felt like there was really not much for me to do there; I couldn't concentrate."

There have been various outbursts, on the course and in the locker room, and now he's told Spain's biggest-selling newspaper, Marca, that he doesn't know whether he wants to be a part of any future Ryder Cup team – despite having failed to register in enough events to be eligible to play.

“I honestly don't know, first because I didn't play the minimum number of tournaments last year and I don't think I can qualify. But as I said at the time, I don't know if I want to be part of the team.”

Rory McIlroy has been front and centre of the ant-LIV brigade – he and Garcia partnered one another in various Ryder Cups – and he has stated that LIV golfers shouldn't be able to play in the competition. Interestingly Garcia and captain Luke Donald have been big pals over the years but any ill feeling would likely tip the balance in terms of not wanting to be in Rome should the chance arise.

“If there are three or four who if I'm there will be looking at me badly and do not want me there. What do I bring to the team? I really want to be there to be me, to be the Sergio who plays the Ryder, who loves and who puts an arm over everyone's shoulder to help.

“And if then you have people there who because you have decided to go to another Tour you are no longer their friend, you are the bad one, you are the one such or that, that has disappointed me and has taught me that really those people who thought they were friends of mine are not."

At Whistling Straits in 2021 Garcia and Rahm struck up a brilliant partnership which resulted in three wins from three matches and Garcia was quick to point out that he wasn't the problem.

“Jon [Rahm] is not one of them, but there are others who have shown very little class."

In terms of the Greg Norman situation and the recent calls for LIV to get rid of him, Garcia was standing by his new boss.

“Greg Norman is our CEO and we support him. We would all like us to be able to reach an agreement. There are people who have been able to do poorly in both places but it seems that there are only bad guys on one side."