Golf Monthly understands that Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy’s relationship has completely broken down over the former’s decision to sign with LIV Golf, with one source claiming it has “turned personal”.
McIlroy is understood to be unhappy about Garcia’s move to the Saudi-backed series and the potential repercussions with regards to the Ryder Cup. The DP World Tour hasn’t officially banned LIV Golf players from the biennial event, but Golf Monthly revealed earlier this week that the circuit is leaning towards excluding LIV players from the Ryder Cup qualification process.
Golf Monthly has been told the rhetoric has been “bitter and personal” in both directions, which comes as a huge surprise given McIlroy was an usher at Garcia’s wedding in 2017.
“I haven’t resigned from the European Tour because I would like to still be a member,” Garcia said during the LIV Golf event at Centurion earlier this month. “I’m European, I love the European Tour. I played it for 23 years. Obviously we’re going to have to wait and see what the European Tour does. But I definitely would like to keep my membership and get my chance to make the Ryder Cup team because I love that event. But we’ll wait and see what happens over there.”
Sources suggest Garcia’s popularity has dwindled in recent times, starting with his “I can’t wait to leave this tour” comments in response to a lost ball ruling at the PGA Tour’s Wells Fargo Championship in May.
And, at the BMW International Open in Germany last week, the Spaniard is alleged to have launched into an anti-DP World Tour rant in the locker room, saying how bad the circuit was and that players were making a mistake by sticking with it. Those present are said to have been taken aback by the comments, with one player apparently revealing how he’d lost all respect for Garcia.
“They all think they are untouchable and they all think the tours can’t do anything. I think they’re all about to realise they’re wrong,” said one DP World Tour player of the LIV defectors. “It is short sighted…
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