Sergio Garcia says Rory McIlroy is “lacking maturity” for the way he ended their long friendship following the Spaniard’s LIV Golf move, but insisted he would be open to sitting down with him to talk over their issues.
The two had been close friends and went to each other’s weddings as well as being partners in Ryder Cup matches, but McIlroy recently said he’d deleted Garcia’s number following an argument over LIV Golf.
After Garcia sent McIlroy a text message telling him to stop criticizing LIV Golf, McIlroy responded: “I was pretty offended and sent him back a couple of daggers and that was it.”
Garcia has now told The Telegraph (opens in new tab) that McIlroy’s actions were “lacking maturity” but did insist that he would be willing to sit down and talk over their issues – even though he thought McIlroy wouldn’t even entertain the prospect.
“I don’t have a problem with him. He’s the one that has a problem,” Garcia told the Telegraph’s James Corrigan. “So if he wants to reconcile, then I’m willing to talk. But I’m not sure he’ll put himself down to that level.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
McIlroy, for his part, has completely closed the door on the friendship and ruled out a reconciliation with Garcia when last asked.
“I think it is very sad,” added Garcia. “I think that we’ve done so many things together and had so many experiences that for him to throw that away just because I decided to go to a different tour, well, it doesn’t seem very mature; lacking maturity, really.
“But Rory’s got his own life and he makes his own choices, the same way that I make mine. I respect his choices, but it seems like he doesn’t respect the ones I make. So a one-way street.”
The feud between the two would also be a major reason why 43-year-old Garcia is highly unlikely to have any future Ryder Cup involvement – especially this year in Rome.
Garcia is the record points scorer in Ryder Cup history but although Jon Rahm has backed the prospect of Garcia being involved in the team in some way, Luke Donald would never select him while the current conflict with McIlroy continues.
“I wouldn’t want to harm the atmosphere in the team room,” Garcia said as he repeated his stance that he wouldn’t try to force his way in and risk upsetting the rest of the Ryder Cup team. “I love that event too much for that.”
The new LIV Golf League starts this weekend in Mexico, with Garcia claiming that along with the team aspect of the…
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