European star Sergio Garcia is ‘willing to snub the Ryder Cup ’ in order to join the contentious Saudi-backed Golf League, according to the Telegraph. Garcia has announced himself as a staple for the event throughout his career, and has earned the most points in Ryder Cup history.
However, reports suggest the Spaniard is willing to risk never representing Team Europe on the big stage ever again in order to join LIV Golf Invitational led by former world No. 1 Greg Norman. The contentious Saudi-backed circuit has sent shockwaves around the golfing world in recent months.
As a result, main man Norman has looked to tempt a number of golf’s biggest players over to the new breakaway circuit, which will kick off at the Centurion Club later this year.
Despite threats of being banned from the PGA Tour, players on the American-based circuit had until 10pm BST on Monday to apply to Tour bosses for permission to play in the Saudi League’s inaugural event in June. Up to 20 players are alleged to have submitted an application, including Garcia and his fellow Ryder Cup stalwarts Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter.
If Garcia and co do go ahead and compete in the 54-hole tournament in St Albans later this summer, the trio could well lose the chance to represent Europe both on and off the course in the future after the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour) threatened harsh sanctions on those that make the switch to the circuit.
The Spaniard was left outraged with the Tour earlier this year when his request to compete at the Asian Tour’s Saudi Invitational was blocked, despite being a loyal servant to the DP World Tour for 23 years. After plenty of pressure from some of the sport’s biggest names, the DP World and PGA Tour allowed players to compete, however it left a sour taste in the mouth of the 2017 Masters champion.
Garcia said: “I understand the position of the tours but they have to understand that we are trying to achieve things for our families. I've been a European Tour member for 23 years and done a lot of things to make that happen. I've put a lot of mileage in my body to make it happen.”
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One other star who has also made an application to compete on the Norman-led series is Phil Mickelson, two months on from announcing he was taking a break from golf after a number of controversial comments surrounding the Saudi state, the LIV series and the PGA Tour.
Following his exile a statement from Steve Loy, co-president of Mickelson's management company, SportFive, it was confirmed that Mickelson would make his return to defend his PGA Championship at Southern Hills next month, whilst also confirming his application for the Saudi-backed series.
Loy said: “Our client Phil Mickelson is officially registered to play in the PGA Championship as well as the US Open.We have also filed a request on his behalf for a release to play in the first LIV Golf Invitational in London, June 9-11. Phil currently has no concrete plans on when and where he will play. Any actions taken are in no way a reflection of a final decision made, but rather to keep all options open.”
