Sergio Garcia may have buried the hatchet with Rory McIlroy but he has dismissed the Northern Irishman’s idea for LIV Golf.
Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy may be friends again after the duo fell out over the breakaway tour but the Spaniard has dismissed the Ulsterman’s idea for the LIV Golf League.
Although the future of men’s professional golf is still uncertain, McIlroy’s position on the Saudi-backed tour has softened recently, and it seems the two parties are finally making an effort to work together.
The 34-year-old Northern Irishman hinted that if LIV were to become the “IPL of golf,” with four events held in the spring and four in the summer, he would be amenable to the idea of participating.
Additionally, he has pushed the authorities to “think outside” and attempt to create a world golf tour.
“The PGA Tour generates approximately $2.3 billion in revenue at the moment,” McIlroy stated, outlining his plan.
“So how do we get that number up to four or six? To me, it is by looking outward.
“They need to think internationally and spread their wings a bit. I’ve been banging that drum for a while.”
Garcia believes LIV should have more of a prominent role in the future of men’s professional golf.
“I don’t think we want to be important for one month,” he told the Standard. “We all deserve more than that.”
Garcia naturally had some nice things to say about his fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm, who last month switched tours in a deal reportedly worth at least £450 million to the defending Masters champion.
Rahm’s peers weren’t as harsh on him for running off. Well, not the way Garcia and the other LIV “rebels” were initially handled, anyway.
Rahm made what McIlroy called a “smart business move.”
In response to McIlroy’s remarks, Rahm said that given his prior remarks regarding LIV, the Northern Irishman showed a great deal of “maturity.”
Regarding Rahm’s lack of criticism, Garcia told the newspaper, “Rahm should probably thank us a little bit for that.”
“We knew being the first ones we would take some heat.
“We believed in the product, we believed in how good LIV is and it can become even better.
“People are beginning to see the reality of it, but we just had to ride the wave of criticism.”
The DP World Tour imposed hefty fines on the 2017 Masters champion for teeing off in LIV events without first receiving tournament release information.
Garcia chose not to pay his fines after LIV players were disqualified by a sports arbiter, in contrast to legendary European Ryder Cup players like Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood.
Garcia reportedly made a last-minute attempt to be involved in the 2023 Ryder Cup by making good his fines.
According to Telegraph Sport, Garcia owes as much as £700,000.
However, Garcia’s request to represent Italy in the blue and gold last September was quickly turned down by European leaders.
Garcia is prepared to reapply for his membership in the DP World Tour even though it seems like he hasn’t paid the fines yet. However, the subject of fines is contentious.
He declared: “I had discussed with my managers and wife that I was going to [reapply for membership] this year. I was all set to go.
“But it’s evidently not worth it after realizing that players in LIV continued to be members while receiving a one-year ban.
“I refuse to pay all of my fines, obtain my membership, and then receive a one-year ban. That’s not logical at all.”
