It was a great week for LIV Golf’s Patrick Reed, Carlos Ortiz and Jason Kokrak—but not so much for Sergio Garcia.
At the Asian Tour’s International Series Macau in China, the first three finishers qualified for July’s British Open at Royal Portrush; however, Garcia failed to earn a spot after missing a 3-foot birdie putt on his final hole.
The International Series is an abundance of select Asian Tour events in conjunction with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf circuit. This week’s tournament in Macau was also part of the R&A’s Open Qualifying Series, which grants the top three golfers not already exempt a spot in the year’s final major championship.
As LIV events do not currently offer world ranking points, many notable players on the circuit are on the outside looking in for major championships. This week, though, Ortiz, Reed and Kokrak—all past winners on the PGA Tour—finished first, second and third in China to punch their ticket to Royal Portrush.
Garcia, meanwhile, finished fourth at 16 under, one stroke behind Kokrak. But if the 2017 Masters champion had tied Kokrak by making his 3-footer on the last, he would have instead earned a spot in the British Open by virtue of his world ranking position (Garcia is No. 513 and Kokrak is No. 775).
Garcia, who once competed in 22 consecutive British Opens, may now need to qualify by playing in a 36-hole British Open qualifier, which he did in 2023 and ‘24, but failed to get through.
A strong finish at the Masters in three weeks could also help him notch a spot in the British Open. Plus, earlier this year, the R&A unveiled an exemption for the British for LIV players. The top player in the circuit’s individual standings after LIV Dallas in June who has not already qualified will tee it up at Royal Portrush.
Garcia is currently third on the individual points list, behind Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann, who both are already in the British Open field.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as LIV Golf’s Sergio Garcia Misses British Open Spot in Agonizing Fashion.
