Sergio García has paid fines of approximately £1 million to the DP World Tour to make himself eligible for next year’s Ryder Cup in New York.
The Spaniard, who is the leading all-time points scorer in the history of the biennial match, will now try to convince Europe captain Luke Donald that he can contribute as they try to win on away soil for the first time in 13 years.
Donald revealed last month that he had talked to García, his former Ryder Cup partner who resigned from his home circuit last year after refusing to pay penalties he incurred for joining the Saudi-funded LIV. García was concerned what it could take to return to the blue-and-gold fold.
The Englishman informed his great friend that he would have to honour the sanctions before he could even be considered for the showdown at Bethpage.
Following a report on the bunkered.co.uk website on Tuesday, a Tour spokesperson confirmed: “Sergio García submitted his application to return to membership of the DP World Tour for the 2025 season ahead of the deadline on Sunday November 17.”
García will still have to serve the one-tournament bans he picked up for each LIV tournament in which he competed before he handed in his card last year after he and fellow Ryder Cup legends such as Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood lost a hearing that contested their sanctions.
In many respects, it is remarkable that García has been the first – and perhaps the last – of these European stalwarts to agree to accept the medicine. He was the only one of the LIV rebels who refused to pay the initial $100,000 fine after the Sport Resolutions Jury in London delivered its decision.
It is understood that, as the regulations stand, García can be a part of the team room only as a player and not a vice-captain, although the 2017 Masters champion believes he still has plenty to offer with a club in his hand.
After finishing third in the LIV rankings this season, behind countryman Jon Rahm and Chilean Joaquin Niemann, García, 44, claimed: “I feel like my game’s still good enough to play at least two or three Ryder Cups.”
Unless he wins a major – and at present García is only qualified for the Masters – then he will have to rely on a Donald wildcard and despite his successful partnership with Rahm, he will remain a huge long shot to tee it up in Long Island, especially as that was the venue when the New York crowd mercilessly ribbed him at the 2022 US Open.
García also had a public falling out with Rory McIlroy and although the pair are back on speaking terms, it is understood that team room tensions could still remain.
