Spanish duo, Sergio Garcia and David Puig, are set for their first DP World Tour appearances of 2025 in the weeks leading up to the new LIV Golf season.
The fourth season of the big-money League begins in Riyadh on 6 February but, before then, per The Telegraph, Garcia will make his first DP World Tour appearance for over two years in the Bahrain Championship, which begins on 30th January.
The 2017 Masters champion’s prolonged absence from the circuit began after he controversially withdrew from the 2022 BMW PGA Championship after the first round without offering an explanation as to why, and was later seen attending a Texas football game while the tournament was still in progress.
In May 2023, he resigned his DP World Tour membership after an arbitration panel determined the circuit could fine players who competed in LIV Golf tournaments without its permission.
However, throughout Garcia’s absence, there have been suggestions he could resume his DP World Tour career in order to be eligible for the Ryder Cup, where he is the record points scorer.
In November, he rejoined the DP World Tour after paying fines incurred for playing for LIV Golf, and was listed in exemption Category 1, which is reserved for winners of the Race to Dubai Rankings between 2017 and 2024 and the four Majors from 2017 to 2025.
With the next edition of the Ryder Cup coming at Bethpage Black in September, Garcia will be mindful of the need to compete in the necessary DP World Tour events to ensure he is eligible, while also hoping to either catch the eye of captain Luke Donald for a wildcard or accumulate the necessary points to qualify automatically.
As for Puig, per Ten-Golf, he will make his first DP World Tour appearance in 2025 the week before Garcia, at the Ras Al Khaimah Championship in the UAE, before also competing in Bahrain.
Unlike Garcia, Puig played three times on the DP World Tour in 2024, and he will be looking to continue some impressive form after finishes of T3 at the Open de Espana, T4 at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and T12 at the Andalucia Masters.
However, Puig wasn't a DP World Tour member while producing those excellent displays, meaning he was unable to accumulate Ryder Cup ranking points and, as things stand, remains ineligible for the match despite being regarded as one of the brightest prospects in the game.
Even with uncertainty surrounding Garcia and Puig’s futures in the Ryder Cup, both players will be hoping for strong performances ahead of the LIV Golf season as they look to build on some excellent form in 2024.
Garcia finished third in the individual standings after a season that included his maiden LIV Golf victory in Andalucia. Meanwhile, Puig finished 26th, with the highlight being a T3 in Houston.
Along with fellow Fireballs GC players Abraham Ancer and Eugenio Chacarra, who has since departed, they helped the team finish sixth in the team standings.
