Max Homa says players breaking clubs makes them all look "very, very spoiled" after Sergio Garcia smashed his driver at The Masters.

Robert MacIntyre was also in a spot of bother at Augusta National for his angry outbursts, but it was Garcia who was issued with a code of conduct warning during Sunday's final round.

Garcia smashed up the tee box on the second hole and snapped his driver after a poor tee shot - which he's now apologized for.

There was a strict code of conduct policy implemented at The Masters, with Garcia the first person to get an official first warning - a second warning would result in a two-shot penalty.

Homa did not name Garcia when asked about the code of conduct, but said he doesn't think it's a good look when players snap clubs in anger.

"Not saying I've never done it. I don't like when people break clubs. I don't like when people beat up the golf course because we deal with it, and I think the breaking clubs makes us look very, very spoiled," Homa said ahead of the RBC Heritage.

"I try my absolute best not to do it, and when it does happen, as far as slamming a tee box, I'm very upset with myself because we're very lucky to play this game we do, and I think it is a bad look.

"But again, this is a very frustrating game, and it happens. So I don't know where I'd draw that line exactly, but I definitely think beating up a golf course would be probably tops just because the rest of us have to play it."

Garcia was issued the warning after repeatedly slamming his driver into the turf at the second tee box, which then needed repairing early on in Sunday's final round.

The Spaniard then smashed his driver into a cool box and broke the head, meaning he was unable to use it for the rest of his round.

"I regret the way I acted and it has no place in our game," said Garcia in his apology.

MacIntyre has yet to make a statement on his behavior, for which he was reportedly reprimanded by Augusta National - although nothing has been made official.

MacIntyre was heard swearing on the course and also slammed his club into the fairway during a frustrating week at The Masters.

Homa himself has shown his frustration on the golf course before, notably being filmed throwing a club down the fairway at last year's PGA Championship.

He says his main vice is some bad language when things aren't going his way, and said player conduct is something the PGA Tour will try and work on improving going forward.

"I say a lot of bad words," Homa admitted. "I very much try to do it not when a kid can hear. So I do think there's some, hey, don't say it in front of the wrong person, like be a bit aware of your surroundings

"But yeah, that's a tough thing to handle or to decide upon because it is so subjective. If I do something where no one is watching on TV, that gets graded a lot lower than when it's in front of everybody.

"But it's never a bad thing to have that conversation being had at Augusta. That's good.

"Between that and pace-of-play stuff, there's things we can address, and we can wait until we figure it out until we implement it, but at least the conversation is going that way.

"We want to inspire the next generation to be better than us, so we need to be held to a higher standard."

LIV Golf CEO Scott O'Neil says the season will continue "at full throttle" in a memo sent to staff responding to speculation over the league's future.

Speculation has been rife that the Saudia Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF) had decided to cut funding to LIV Golf.

This week's LIV Golf Mexico event is going ahead as planned though and in an email published by both the Associated Press and Front Office Sports O'Neil has insisted it's business as usual.

“I want to be crystal clear: Our season continues exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle,” O’Neil said.

From Ryan French's post on X on a "bombshell announcement" to a Financial Times report of the PIF being 'on the verge' of cutting funding, LIV Golf's future has been the talk of the golfing world.

But O'Neil sounded a positive note to his staff, adding: “While the media landscape is often filled with speculation, our reality is defined by the work we do on the grass.

"We are heading into the heart of our 2026 schedule with the full energy of an organization that is bigger, louder, and more influential than ever before.”

O'Neill told his staff that "LIV Golf is the future of the game" and on the current media speculation, added: "The noise you hear is simply the sound of a movement that is working."

There's plenty of confusion on the topic, with the PIF recently unveiling a new five-year strategy which on the face of things suggested more of a focus on domestic investments, while there's been a question of how big a part sport investments would play moving forward.

"Local investment should be 80% and we aim for international investment to be ​20%," [down from a peak of 30%] PIF Governor Yasir ⁠Al-Rumayyan told Al Arabiya Business.

There's also the financial impact of the war in Iran to take into account, although as always despite these reports coming from well respected sources nothing has been made official.

Even O'Neil hasn't released a public statement, but his memo to his staff was certainly meant as a rousing speech to keep pushing forward.

"The life of a startup movement is often defined by these moments of pressure," he added.

"We signed up for this because we believe in disrupting the status quo. We have faced headwinds since the jump, and we've answered every time with resilience and grace. Now, we answer by doing what we do best: putting on the most compelling show in sports."

The Telegraph reported that LIV's executives held a meeting on Tuesday in New York, and press conferences were canceled at Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City, where the sixth event of the 2026 season is being staged.

They later resumed with Sergio Garcia being asked about the speculation but insisting the players had not been informed about any problems.

"Frankly, we haven't heard anything other than what Yasir [Al-Rumayyan] already told us at the beginning of the year," Garcia said, translated from Spanish.

"That is, he's behind us, that they have a project of many years... there are always many rumors. I can't comment on anything more than what we know."

Sources with knowledge of LIV Golf operations have confirmed that funding and operations are continuing as planned.

LIV Golf is also reporting strong figures for the season so far, with revenue up $100m after five tournaments vs this point in the season last year.

Full Scott O'Neill memo to LIV Golf staff

Team,
Following up on my previous message, which I realize may have led to some confusion on where we stand as a business. I want to be crystal clear: Our season continues exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle.

While the media landscape is often filled with speculation, our reality is defined by the work we do on the grass. We are heading into the heart of our 2026 schedule with the full energy of an organization that is bigger, louder, and more influential than ever before.

The life of a startup movement is often defined by these moments of pressure. We signed up for this because we believe in disrupting the status quo. We have faced headwinds since the jump, and we've answered every time with resilience and grace. Now, we answer by doing what we do best: putting on the most compelling show in sports.

We carry incredible momentum into Mexico City. Just last week at Augusta National, the world was reminded of the caliber of player this league represents. With five players making the cut and Tyrrell Hatton's gutsy T3—a career-best major finish that punches his ticket back for 2027—LIV Golf continues to prove it houses the elite of the elite.
Now, we take that energy to Club de Golf Chapultepec.

We are coming off a historic week in South Africa where over 100,000 fans at Steyn City showed us exactly why this league matters. This week, we raise the stakes in our sixth country of the year:

The Air is Thin, the Stakes are High: At 7,000 feet, we expect to see record-breaking distances that will electrify the gallery.

The DeChambeau Era: Bryson enters Mexico City on a historic tear, seeking a third straight individual victory to add to his record 15 individual and team trophies.

The Consistency of Rahm: Jon remains the points leader and the standard-bearer, looking to bring Legion XIII back to the top of the podium to defend their Mexico City title.

Home Turf Advantage: We stand behind Joaquin Niemann as he defends his individual title, alongside Abraham Ancer and Carlos Ortiz, who will undoubtedly feel the incredible energy of their home Mexican crowd.

To the teams in New York, London, and those on the ground here with me in Mexico: lean into this moment. The noise you hear is simply the sound of a movement that is working. Embrace it. We are pioneers, and while the road isn't always smooth, the destination is worth every mile.
Let's go out and show the world why LIV Golf is the future of the game.
It matters. You mattered. Now, let's go win.

Long LIV Golf.
Scott

Ahead of LIV Golf Mexico City this week, Sergio Garcia has addressed the rumors that the breakaway tour could be shutting down.

Just last week, we saw many LIV golfers underperforming at The Masters. Now, over the past 24 hours, there has been concern that the Saudi-backed venture could fold - with the Financial Times reporting the PIF is "on the verge" of cutting LIV Golf's funding.

An emergency meeting between LIV Golf executives was believed to have taken place on Tuesday, with the future of the tour thought to be the topic of discussion. That's after well-connected reporter Ryan French sent social media into frenzy in writing that a "a bombshell announcement on LIVs future is imminent."

Reasons for the meeting in Manhattan were unclear, but it was rather telling that not a single executive was present at Club de Golf Chapultepec ahead of the upcoming event in Mexico City.

Press conferences were canceled, reportedly due to a technical error, and with the rumor mill spinning we have yet to hear anything concrete from LIV Golf on what is next.

There was a press conference on Wednesday, though, where Sergio Garcia was asked about the matter and what he knows about the situation.

Speaking to the press in Spanish, Garcia said: "Frankly, we haven't heard anything other than what Yasir [Al-Rumayyan] already told us at the beginning of the year.

"That is, he's behind us, that they have a project of many years... there are always many rumors. I can't comment on anything more than what we know."

It will be fascinating to see how the mood plays out this week in Mexico City as the LIV Golf players take on the course while this hangs over their heads.

The tee times for round one have been revealed ahead of the tournament, with Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith kicking off proceedings on the 1st hole at 1:15 p.m.

Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton, the latter coming off the back of a really strong showing at Augusta National, will follow them 11 minutes later.

Meanwhile, reigning champion Joaquin Niemann will start on hole 4 alongside Dustin Johnson, Anthony Kim tees off on 2, and Garcia is on hole 3 for the shotgun start.

Elsewhere, Scott Vincent is set to step in for the HyFlyers with Phil Mickelson remaining at home to deal with a family health matter.

After losing his cool and smashing up the a tee box on the final day of The Masters, Sergio Garcia has spoken to the press and admitted he's not happy with his own actions.

We haven't seen the best of the LIV Golf League star since his win in Hong Kong last year, but it's important to remember Garcia is still a former Masters champion after his victory at Augusta National in 2017.

However, his latest appearance at The Masters ended on a sour note, after a display of anger saw the Spaniard reprimanded by Geoff Yang, the chairman of the competition committee.

Starting the day 16 shots behind leaders Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young, it was always going to be tough for Garcia on Sunday.

He didn't help matters, though, when he sent his second tee shot spiraling into the bunker. Clearly unhappy with his effort, Garcia smashed the ground with his driver before hitting the water cooler at the side of the tee box.

Garcia's driver did not survive the incident, and the tee box had to be repaired quickly by staff at Augusta.

Speaking to the press after the round, in which he shot a 75 to finish +8 for the week, Garcia admitted an unsavory moment like that had been coming.

When asked about his frustrations, Garcia said: "Through the year. Yeah [that's been building]. Just obviously not super proud of it, but sometimes it happens."

Garcia was later spoken to on the course, but he was clearly not in the mood to talk about it when quizzed by the media. "I'm not going to tell you," he replied when asked what was said, before later insisting they skip to the "next question" when another journalist tried to probe.

In a brief and frosty interview, Garcia blamed "bad golf" and "bad shots" for his poor performances at Augusta since 2017.

He also shot down a question where a journalist asked if this is the result of what has been a disappointing year so far, saying: "No, it's not a combination of everything. It's fine. It's what it is. You've just got to deal with it."

This is not the first time Garcia has been guilty of a meltdown on a golf course, either. Back in 2019, he was disqualified from the Saudi International event after damaging a number of greens.

He also snapped his driver at The Open Championship last year during the final round. The solution is pretty simple, at least on the day, though. As Garcia says, "I just have to hit 3-wood all the time."

Sergio Garcia has made a major gear change ahead of the 2026 LIV Golf season by switching to a brand new golf ball brand.

The 2017 Masters champion came close to winning on the DP World Tour last week in Bahrain, where he finished T4th using a TaylorMade TP5, but that has been replaced by a model from Underground Golf.

Underground Golf is a new brand, and exclusive membership club, founded by actor Mark Wahlberg, Garry Singer, the former co-founder of Clear Golf Balls, which was endorsed and used by Charl Schwartzel, and Doug Meijer, the owner of Meijer supermarket chain that has sponsored the LPGA Meijer Classic in Michigan since 2014.

According to Forbes, the three 'golf addicts' attempted to make the best ball possible, and the result is the Underground model used by Garcia this week.

"You would think that after 26 seasons as a professional, not many things excite me about golf anymore or equipment but I do have to say that this year I'm very, very excited about one thing in particular, which is joining the Underground club," Garcia said in a video posted to social media including to a newly launched 'The Underground' page, which has the tagline 'Exclusivity thrives below the surface. For members only'.

"And with my buddy Mark Wahlberg among others, this is the golf ball I'm gonna be playing, super excited about it so make sure you come and join the club."

Not much is known about the ball or if/when it will be available to the public or Underground Golf members in the future.

It's the latest big equipment switch for the Spaniard, who also put new LA Golf irons in the bag on the DP World Tour last week.

"It's a big week for the Underground," Mark Wahlberg said.

"Our guy Sergio Garcia is about to put this Precision golf ball into play at the first event for the LIV tour. The after that, it's Augusta and there'll be many wins after that.

"The big win is to be a member of the Underground."

Sergio Garcia is making his first DP World Tour start in over three months at this week's Bapco Energies Bahrain Championship.

The Ryder Cup record points scorer is playing on a sponsor's invite at Royal Golf Club after he gave up his DP World Tour membership when he failed to make Luke Donald's team for Bethpage Black.

The Spaniard is one of four LIV Golfers in the field this week along with defending champion Laurie Canter, Thomas Detry and Patrick Reed, who revealed he had not yet renewed his LIV contract after winning the Dubai Desert Classic.

Garcia played just twice on the DP World Tour last year, below the minimum of four, and reportedly withdrew from the Irish Open once he found out he had not been picked for the Ryder Cup side.

He only rejoined the European circuit in order to make the team, which is said to have cost him, or LIV Golf, over $1m in fines for playing in LIV events without conflicting event releases.

The 46-year-old is ineligible for the 2027 team as things stand so will face the decision of rejoining again next season or missing out on a third consecutive Ryder Cup after last playing at Whistling Straits in 2021.

His compatriot Jon Rahm and other players including Tyrrell Hatton are currently keeping their DP World Tour memberships active while appealing their fines and sanctions. No date has been set for a hearing yet.

The DP World Tour is expected to come out on top after it won an arbitration panel hearing against LIV Golfers in 2023, which confirmed it was allowed to impose sanctions on its members for playing in competing events on LIV.

Jon Rahm has maintained he will not be paying his fines, with Rory McIlroy last week calling for the Spaniard and Tyrrell Hatton to settle them in order to prove they would pay to play for Team Europe - unlike the Americans who received payment for New York last year.

The 2026 LIV Golf season gets underway next week in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, while this week's Bahrain event marks the eighth tournament on the DP World Tour's International Swing.

Sergio Garcia will not be a DP World Tour member next year as things stand.

The Spaniard played in his second DP World Tour event of the season this past weekend and has indicated he will not compete in any further tournaments on the European circuit this year, which would cause his membership to lapse.

To keep his DP World Tour membership active, he would need to play a minimum of four regular events outside of the Majors, and Garcia only appeared in the BMW International Open in July before his T39 finish at the Spanish Open in Madrid this weekend.

He was expected to tee it up in the Irish Open last month but withdrew once the news was confirmed he had not been selected for the European Ryder Cup team.

The record points scorer rejoined the DP World Tour last year after resigning his membership in May 2023 in order to make the European Ryder Cup team.

He rejoined after finishing 3rd in the LIV Golf standings with a realistic hope of making the side but lost form throughout the summer to miss out on one of Luke Donald's wildcard picks.

Garcia was forced to pay fines believed to be in excess of $1m last year after the DP World Tour won a Sports Resolutions arbitration panel hearing that it had the right to sanction and fine its members for playing in LIV Golf tournaments without conflicting event releases.

"I feel like my game’s still good enough to play at least two or three Ryder Cups, so if I can keep that level going, hopefully everything gets sorted and we can get to that point," Garcia told Golf Monthly last year.

Now, the 45-year-old is ineligible for the 2027 team as things stand so will face the decision of rejoining again or miss out on a third consecutive Ryder Cup.

Garcia's compatriot Jon Rahm is also not expected to play again this season, but his membership for 2026 has been confirmed after he played in his fourth event at the Spanish Open.

Rahm's four counting events are the Dubai Desert Classic, BMW PGA Championship, Ryder Cup and Spanish Open.

The two-time LIV Golf individual champion has completed the first winless season of his career and is set for a near-fourth-month break until the 2026 LIV Golf season begins in February.

Sergio Garcia is one of the star names playing in the Spanish Open this week, and the European Ryder Cup legend is doing so with another unique putter in the bag.

Garcia was spotted with a second iteration of a Golfyr flat stick, having previously used one in early 2024.

Golfyr is a Swiss company that has a 7>14 ideology, which the brand says is an "optimized golf experience using only seven essential SWISS MADE carbon clubs on the course."

Its clubs include The Opener, a 14 degree driver, The Mover, a 22 degree hybrid and others including The Butler, The Riser, The Pitcher, The Saver and The Maker putter.

Garcia's original Golfyr Maker was spotted in February 2024 at the start of the LIV Golf League season, where we first discovered the brand that Garcia has involvement in.

The Golfyr Maker mallet-style design came with a price tag of 625 CHF, which was equal to around £562 or $700. Each carbon putter comes with a certificate with its edition number.

We managed to get our hands on one for a full Golfyr The Maker putter review, with our Deputy Editor describing it as "unquestionably" very forgiving. "It's not cheap, and the sound takes some getting used to, but there was plenty to enjoy about the experience of using it," Joel said.

Well, less than two years later the Spaniard has been spotted with the next generation Golfyr putter, known as 'The Maker Tour.'

According to the Golfyr website, the Maker Tour is Swiss-made from 'cutting edge materials' including carbon and is again co-developed with Garcia.

The winged-mallet design features 'tungsten weighting for maximum stability' and a high MOI.

According to Golfyr, this new version has been "Engineered for professionals and ambitious players who demand absolute control under pressure. With its refined profile and cutting-edge materials, the Maker Tour delivers the precision, feedback, and consistency required at the highest level of the game."

It is retailing for 823.31 Swiss Francs, not including VAT, which converts to $1022 or £769.

How long it remains in the bag for is to be seen as Garcia has done a fair amount of switching in the putter department in recent years.

We've spotted him using various different blades and mallet designs from brands including Scotty Cameron, Toulon Design, TaylorMade, L.A.B Golf, Never Compromise and Golfyr over the past couple of seasons.

He finished 9th in the LIV Golf standings this year, which included a victory in Hong Kong, and ranked a solid T18th in Putting Average for the campaign.

Garcia is making his second DP World Tour start of the season this week in Madrid after playing in the BMW International Open in June.

When Sergio Garcia paid his fines and rejoined the DP World Tour in November, it signalled a very real possibility of a return to the European Ryder Cup team after missing out on Rome 2023 following his controversial move to LIV Golf.

The record points scorer looked set to put himself in position to make the 12-man line-up for Bethpage after finishing 3rd in the LIV Golf League season standings and remaining as one of his continent's top players.

He was the seventh-highest European in Data Golf's rankings back then and looked poised to bring his experience to New York.

I wrote at the time that he would be a 'no-brainer' pick for Luke Donald, but things haven't quite transpired that way after winning in Hong Kong earlier this year. He suddenly began struggling with his game and registered just one top-10 in the final eight LIV events.

His real chances to impress Donald came in the Majors this year, where he could only manage a missed cut at The Masters and a T67 finish at the PGA Championship before missing out at US Open qualifying and then placing T34th at The Open.

Those results simply weren't enough to convince Donald to pick him, something he even admitted after his PGA Championship finish with an eye-opening assessment of where his game was.

"Obviously the way I’m playing, even if Luke offered me a pick right now, I would tell him no. So obviously I need to get better," he said at Quail Hollow in May.

Some four months later and his game did not improve enough to justify one of Donald's six picks, which means the 10-time Ryder Cupper's Team Europe career could well be over.

He will turn 46 in January and be 47 by the time Adare Manor rolls around in 2027. Only eight players have been older in Ryder Cup history, so it certainly looks like his career in the blue and gold of Europe is over.

Garcia said in 2024 that he hopes to play in "two or three more" Ryder Cups but that seems optimistic, even for the talent that he possesses.

"I feel like my game’s still good enough to play at least two or three Ryder Cups, so if I can keep that level going, hopefully everything gets sorted and we can get to that point," Garcia told Golf Monthly last year.

The golfing landscape will hopefully look a lot different in two years' time where he could well return to Team Europe as a vice-captain. Justin Rose is favorite to lead the home team in Ireland and the pair have historically had a good relationship.

That seems likely, as does Garcia being part of the side again on vice-captaincy duties at Hazeltine in 2029.

It would set up a Garcia captaincy at home in Spain, with the Ryder Cup returning to his home nation for the first time since 1997 when Camiral hosts in 2031.

It's something Jon Rahm was very supportive of once the news was confirmed about the 2031 venue.

Asked whether Garcia is "made for that job in 2031" prior to LIV Golf UK, Rahm said: "Yeah, I think so. I think there's something to say about possibly having, obviously, a local captain. I think it would do wonders for the crowd.

"If history shows us anything, and it's very hard to compare anybody to Seve, but I've only heard stories about what that Ryder Cup was like. I would say, if possible, I think that's a very obvious good choice to have Sergio be a part of that one."

As it stands, DP World Tour regulations would have to change for Garcia to assume the captaincy role, with anyone who has resigned their membership or failed to play their minimum quota of events in a season not being eligible for captaincy.

The landscape can certainly change, though, and there is a lot of time to pass until Adare Manor in 2027 and even Camiral in 2031.

“Obviously, being Spanish and the Ryder Cup being in Spain, kind of like what Seve did in ’97, it would be something very special, but it’s too many years ahead,” Garcia recently said.

So is Sergio Garcia's Ryder Cup career over? As a player, you would have to think the answer is yes. As a vice and captain, surely not.

Brooks Koepka is among several Major-winning LIV Golf stars who have already committed to DP World Tour events later this year.

Koepka is currently attempting to finish off his season with Smash GC in style at LIV Golf Indianapolis, but only a matter of days after the Team Championship in Michigan the following week, the five-time Major winner will head to the British Isles to compete at the Amgen Irish Open.

One of the European circuit's first Back 9 tournaments is being staged at The K Club between September 4-7 and will feature defending champion, Rasmus Hojgaard - who defeated Rory McIlroy at Royal County Down 12 months ago - plus former LIV player, Eugenio Chacarra among others.

The $6 million event will also include Sergio Garcia and Tyrrell Hatton after the Spaniard paid off his outstanding fines and reapplied for DP World Tour membership late last year.

Garcia is a former Irish Open champion, winning the title back in 1999 after defeating Angel Cabrera by three strokes at Druids Glen. He last played the event in 2015 but missed the cut.

Meanwhile, Hatton has appeared at the Irish Open seven times across his career and has failed to play the weekend on five occasions. Remarkably, in the two where he made the cut, the Englishman finished T4th (2015) and T5th (2016).

Hatton is also set for a return to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October where he will defend his title alongside Koepka once again and, for 2025, Bubba Watson.

Koepka and Watson will be among the latest crop of US golfers to try and break the American curse at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, with no golfer from the States having ever tasted success since the event began in 2001.

After being confirmed, Watson said: "I’ve heard so much about the event and I’m really looking forward to playing.

"St Andrews is one of the most special and historic golfing locations in the world and Carnoustie is among the greatest Open Championship courses. Kingsbarns is a beautiful layout and a challenge in the wind.

"I'm also excited to have my wife, Angie, there with me and get to play with her, too. All in all, I think we are in for a great week.”

Meanwhile, Koepka - who finished runner-up alongside Paul Harris in the 2014 team competition - said: "I’ve been fortunate to play in several Dunhill Links, as well as two Open Championships at St Andrews over the years, and these trips are always highlights.

"The atmosphere on and off the course at the Dunhill is fantastic. I was able to play with my father one year and my good friend and caddie, Ricky Elliott, the other.

"Those two weeks will always be very special to me. I love links golf and St Andrews is my favourite course in the world."

The $5 million Alfred Dunhill Links Championship is set for October 2-5 across St Andrews' Old Course, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns before the final round returns to the Home of Golf.

Sergio Garcia still feels he has chances to impress Luke Donald enough this season to earn a return to the Ryder Cup - and hopes his brilliant partnership with Jon Rahm on the last visit to the USA will count in his favour.

Garcia went into the Open Championship hoping for a big week to really press his Ryder Cup claims - but although he played nice enough a T34 finish was not exactly what he wanted.

Now the Spaniard returns to LIV Golf for the UK event, but still feels he can impress Donald despite not playing in the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup Playoffs.

"I don't think it's the last chance, to be totally honest," he said after Portrush. "I think there's still a good amount of weeks left."

Donald has given Garcia plenty hope with the two in constant contact about the state of his game.

Jon Rahm & Sergio Garcia's Ryder Cup record

"It's no secret that we have been talking," Garcia said about his chats with Donald. "It would mean the world to me to be there. Obviously if I can help the team, that's my main goal, I've always said it.

"I think that I can bring things to the team that - to any team that would probably need it. Obviously at the end of the day, he's going to make whatever he thinks is the best decision for him and his team, at the end of the day. So we'll see."

The 45-year-old has plenty going for him, with course form at Bethpage Black and more importantly that stellar partnership he forged with Rahm at Whistling Straits in 2021.

Rahm and Garcia went 3-0 as partners at Whistling Straits despite Europe taking a sound beating, and restoring that Spanish combination will no doubt be in Donald's mind.

"Jon and I are good friends," said Garcia. "We played well when we played at Whistling Straits. I was watching a few YouTube videos this week on our matches there. We had a great time. We gel nicely together. Obviously it's easy to play with Jon because he's so good."

Garcia has been honest about his game all year, famously saying in May he wouldn't take a wildcard even if given one by Donald due to the way he was playing then.

Donald has spoken of his desire to ensure there's experience in his side given the trip to New York will be the most testing away day in the competition - and that surely opens the door for Garcia.

"We've had a few conversations. At the end of the day, yes, obviously going into the US, going into New York, experience is always good," Garcia added.

"Mostly because you're still going to have some rookies there, and I think those experienced guys have a great job to do there to make sure that those rookies know what they're getting into, even though Luke has been doing a great job of bringing a lot of information to the potential players that are going to be there.

"At the end of the day, when you're out there on the course, it's nice to have one of those experienced guys to put their arm around you and make you feel like don't worry, I've got you, when people are shouting at you and screaming and wishing you all the bad things that you can think of."

If Donald is looking for experience, and wants to get the best out of one of his big guns in Rahm, then Garcia may not be the worst pick he could make.

Jon Rahm has tipped fellow Spaniard, Sergio Garcia to become Team Europe's Ryder Cup captain when the biennial team competition arrives in their homeland six years from now.

On Tuesday, Camiral (formerly PGA Catalunya) was announced as the host course for the 2031 Ryder Cup where it will become just the second Spanish layout behind Valderrama to welcome the event.

Bethpage Black in New York is set to stage the most famous team golf competition later this year before Adare Manor in Ireland follows on in 2027. Hazeltine National has been confirmed for 2029.

Luke Donald will lead the Europeans in New York this September, but the chances of the Englishman remaining in post for a third consecutive Ryder Cup appear very slim.

With future captains such as Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and possibly even a return for Henrik Stenson awaiting their turn should the complications involving the DP World Tour and Team Europe's leadership be cleared up, the men in blue and gold have plenty of options moving forward.

But Rahm - who hopes to continue his role as a mainstay on the playing side until at least 2031 - would love to see the Ryder Cup's record point-scorer be given the nod on home soil, just as Seve Ballesteros was afforded in 1997.

Asked whether Garcia is "made for that job in 2031" prior to LIV Golf UK, Rahm said: "Yeah, I think so. I think there's something to say about possibly having, obviously, a local captain. I think it would do wonders for the crowd.

"If history shows us anything, and it's very hard to compare anybody to Seve, but I've only heard stories about what that Ryder Cup was like. I would say, if possible, I think that's a very obvious good choice to have Sergio be a part of that one."

As it stands, DP World Tour regulations would have to change for Garcia to assume the captaincy role - despite the 45-year-old having recently paid over $1 million in fines for joining LIV Golf back in 2022.

Nevertheless, Rahm - who would be 36 at Camiral - hopes the landscape of men's professional golf has altered to such a state that all eligible Spaniards, no matter their home circuit, would be able to take part in the 2031 Ryder Cup.

He said: "Yeah, it would be absolutely incredible not only to continue Ryder Cups but to be a part of one and play in one at home. I don't think I can describe it. Both Paris and Rome were so incredibly special that to think of playing one in Spain, I really couldn't put it into words.

"Knowing that some things smoothed over in the world of golf, that Sergio could possibly be the captain of the Ryder Cup team, that also adds to it. I really don't know what to -- I wouldn't know how to feel. There's certainly some pressure that comes with it, but it truly would be a dream come true.

"I think there was only, that I can remember, four Spanish people that were involved in that Ryder Cup with Seve, Miguel [Angel Jiminez] was a vice captain, [Jose Maria Olazabal] playing and then Nacho Garrido playing as well. So only four people can say they have done that.

"I don't know how many players can ever say they've played a Ryder Cup in their home countries. Not many, besides the US team, obviously.

"But it would be unbelievable. I'm very happy that it's happening. I'm hoping that somehow or another I can be a part of it."

Sergio Garcia saw red on day four of the 2025 Open when a wayward tee shot led to him snapping his driver in frustration.

The Spaniard missed the fairway left on the par-5 2nd and smashed his driver on the ground, with the head popping off. Ironically, he went on to make birdie on the hole after a solid par at the 1st.

Garcia is now playing the remainder of his round without a driver, as the rules state that you cannot replace a club broken in anger.

Watch: Sergio Garcia snaps driver at The Open

Rule 4.1 states: "A player is allowed to keep using and/or to repair any club damaged during the round, no matter what the damage and even if the player damaged it in anger.

"A player is not allowed to replace a damaged club, except when it is damaged during the round by an outside influence or natural forces, or by someone other than the player or his or her caddie."

"To be totally honest, the last two or three months have been really tough the way I've played, and I controlled myself very, very well," Garcia explained after his round.

"To be totally honest, I didn't feel like I did that much on the 2nd tee. Obviously I didn't hit a good drive, and I kind of - I didn't smack it straight down. I kind of like swiped it back. I've done that 50 times, and I've never broken a club.

"The shaft just snapped in half, and I was surprised. I wasn't trying to break it, and I was actually surprised when I saw that --because usually, if it breaks, it breaks by the neck, and it broke in the middle of the shaft.

"I don't know, maybe the shaft had a little thing there because I didn't feel like with what I did it should have broken, but that's what it was, and then I got some good practice when I threw it."

The Spaniard was in need of a strong finish this week at Royal Portrush to show Luke Donald he is worthy of a Ryder Cup wildcard selection. He closed with a three-under-par 68 to likely finish inside the top 40.

The LIV Golfer missed the cut at The Masters before finishing T67th at the PGA Championship. He failed to qualify for the US Open so Portrush was his last big chance to impress.

Having said earlier in the year that he wasn't playing well enough to even accept a captain's pick for Bethpage, he had changed his mind last week at Valderrama when asked.

"I had a good conversation with Luke last week, and we both know what we want," he said.

"The only thing I can do is keep working hard, keep building my confidence up, and if I'm able to do that, then it should be fine. We'll see."

Despite a frustrating week in Dallas which ended in a tie for 25th, Sergio Garcia secured the first-ever Open Championship exemption available to LIV golfers on Sunday.

Earlier this year, the R&A announced a new qualification system that provided an opportunity for one LIV golfer to earn entry into The 153rd Open Championship.

The leading player, not already exempt, in the top-five of the 2025 LIV Golf Individual standings following the final round of LIV Golf Dallas would be awarded a place at Royal Portrush.

Mark Darbon, chief executive at The R&A, said in a statement at the time: "The Open is a global championship for the best men’s golfers and each year we review our exemptions to ensure that we offer pathways into the Championship based on results achieved on the leading professional tours.

"We acknowledge that players competing in LIV Golf should also have the opportunity to secure places in The Open through its individual season standings as well as existing pathways.

"We are proud to offer a wide range of opportunities to qualify globally and look forward to seeing which golfers will emerge to take their place at Royal Portrush in July."

The beneficiary of the R&A's Major route turned out to be a man who has already played in 25 of golf's oldest championships and ended as runner-up twice. Garcia finished solo second in 2007 before ending T2nd at the 2014 Open.

In terms of the qualification route Garcia took to make it into a 26th Open, it was not the week that he had envisaged as the former World No.2 finished just outside of the points at Maridoe Golf Club.

But, given the poor performances of those also in contention, it remained enough to secure the Spaniard's safe passage through.

Garcia sat in pole position prior to LIV Golf Dallas with 78 points, but there was a 13.14-point gap down to the next four players also chasing that lone Open Championship spot. As a result, there remained every chance that Garcia could be caught up.

The 2017 Masters champion - who was fourth in the tour's Individual standings before play began in Texas - was perfectly aware he needed a decent week to seal the deal or he would have to rely on the misfortune of others to progress.

Rounds of 75 (+3), 74 (+2) and 70 (-2) left Garcia on three-over for the week and one place outside of the points. But, luckily for the Ryder Cup's all-time top point scorer, none of the chasing pack was able to finish high enough to concern him.

Lucas Herbert was closest to Garcia with 71.90 points leading into the event, but the Australian finished in a tie for 40th while looking for his first LIV victory.

Meanwhile, the Torque GC pair of Sebastian Munoz and Carlos Ortiz were next in line, however, Ortiz also finished T40th while Munoz could only manage a tie for 16th when a top-seven result was required.

Despite missing out on an Open spot, Mexican Ortiz has enjoyed a very good season thus far, both in the LIV Golf League and away from it. His most noticeable performance came at Oakmont Country Club during the 2025 US Open, where he was in contention on the final day, finishing T4th.

He has enjoyed four top-10s on the 54-hole circuit this season, with three of those coming in the four events prior to Dallas.

While he didn't perform exactly as he'd have liked in Texas, Garcia's form in the first half of the LIV Golf season carried out the necessary legwork to pull the 45-year-old over the line anyway.

A win in Hong Kong did most of the heavy lifting while two more top-10s and a further finish inside the points supplemented his campaign nicely.

Garcia's play to this point has ultimately given him another chance at adding to his Major tally while possibly giving him one last excellent opportunity to show Team Europe's Ryder Cup captain, Luke Donald what he remains capable of before Bethpage Black in September.

After a quarter of a century of playing in the US Open, Sergio Garcia is set to miss the event for the first time this century - "unless a little miracle happens".

Garcia has played in 25 consecutive US Opens , and managed to keep that streak going through qualifying after joining LIV Golf saw his world ranking plummet.

However, he suffered agony in Final Qualifying for Oakmont, as he missed a birdie putt to win a spot, then missed a par putt that would've given him a place in the playoff - with the bogey seeing him come up a shot short.

That means the US Open wil take place without the Spaniard in the field for the first time since 1999 - that is unless the United States Golf Association step in and hand him a spot in the field at Oakmont.

As when Garcia posted on social media about his disappointment at missing out, he dangled a carefully worded plea to the USGA for a special exemption that they could throw his way.

While saying that he was "very proud of this amazing run I had at this great Major" Garcia also said that it "looks like my run of 25 consecutive US Open Championships might come to an end".

The 45-year-old is tied ninth in the all-time list of consecutive US Open appearances, and the USGA does have a special exemption category to use at its discretion.

Those have been few and far between though and largely given to former champions - with Tiger Woods getting one last year and the likes of Ernie Els (2019 & 2018), Jim Furyk (2018) and Retief Goosen (2016) getting the last few.

Garcia lives in hope though, and as he includes the "unless a little miracle happens" line his social media post he's obviously hoping the USGA comes to his rescue to preserve his streak.

Along with ending his streak, not appearing in the US Open would be a big blow to Garcia's hopes of making Luke Donald's European Ryder Cup team.

He finished T67 at the PGA Championship and said afterwards that he wouldn't accept a captain's pick from Donald right now even if it was offered due to his form not being good enough.

Garcia has a best finish of T3 at the US Open in 2005 - and has made 20 cuts out of 25 and recorded five top-10 finishes - and finished T12 last year at Pinehurst No.2 in his best Major result since winning the 2017 Masters.

When Sergio Garcia tees it up at The Masters this year it will be an extra special moment for him as the Spaniard will be making his 100th appearance in a Major championship.

It still leaves him well down on the list of men to have played the most Major championships in history, with Jack Nicklaus leading the way on 164 appearances in men's golf's biggest tournaments.

Garcia will become just the 19th man to play in 100 Majors when he travels down Magnolia Lane once again in 2025 - 29 years after making his debut at the 1996 Open Championship.

And it's not an achievement Garcia is taking lightly, as he fully appreciates what an effort it has been to join the exclusive 100 club.

"Not a lot of people have been able to get over the 100-Major mark, so it's obviously an honor and something that I'm super proud of," said Garcia.

Garcia's appreciation of Majors has grown since joining LIV Golf, as without world ranking points it's become "a little bit tougher for me to be able to play all four" - but he's shown his desire by consistently entering qualifying for the Open and US Open.

"I've come to realize that every time I'm in one of those Majors that I have to not only give everything that I have, which I always do, but I also make sure that I enjoy it as much as possible because you never know when it's going to be your last one."

From 2000-2022 Garcia played in every available Major bar the 2020 Masters which he missed with Covid - a streak only ended by joining LIV Golf - but his love of the big tournaments is very much still burning.

"I've been very fortunate to pretty much not miss a Major for 25 years. I only missed one I think in 24 years because of Covid, the 2020 Masters, and even if you don't want to, you start thinking that that's normal and it's easy to be part of the Majors, but it's not.

"I've come to realize that, and I try to make sure to enjoy every single one I play now as much as I can."

Sergio Garcia's Major championship record

One of the best players to have won just one Major, many feel Garcia should possibly have won more given his obvious talent.

Overall, Garcia has made 65 cuts from 99 Majors, with that one thrilling victory at the 2017 Masters following a playoff with Justin Rose being the obvious highlight.

The Spaniard has also finished as a runner-up four times, including a 2007 Open Championship playoff defeat to Padraig Harrington at Carnoustie.

He also finished T2 behind Rory McIlroy at the 2014 Open Championshio at Hoylake and has two runners-up spots at the PGA Championship - in 1999 and 2008.

He's got 23 top 10s and is also one of 29 men to finish in the top 10 of all four Majors in one season, achieving that feat in 2002.

History is largely against Rory McIlroy winning The Masters for the first time at his 17th attempt, but two former champions have revealed their secret for bucking the trend.

Only one Masters champion has even won their first Green Jacket having previously played in 15 tournaments or more at Augusta National - as Sergio Gracia triumphed in his 19th Masters.

Phil Mickelson won the first of his three Green Jackets at the 12th attempt, which in itself goes against the grain somewhat as 49 of the 56 Masters champions won their maiden title in 11 attempts or less.

There are obviously positives, as McIlroy has seven top 10 finishes at Augusta National, which is the same number Mickelson tallied before going on to claim victory.

And both Mickelson and Garcia picked out what could be the key for McIlroy to get himself over the line - which would also end his decade-long wait for a fifth Major and complete the career Grand Slam.

"I think at the end of the day, it's to go there and enjoy the week as much as possible," Garcia cited as a key for McIlroy finally being able to win The Masters.

"I think that sometimes we're competitors and we want to go there and do really well, but sometimes you cannot get too much in your head, and obviously I had my issues with Augusta when it comes down to that where I'd just get frustrated and maybe feel like I don't get what I deserve or something like that."

Mickelson agreed that controlling emotions was a huge factor when trying to win The Masters, something he noticed when Garcia claimed his Green Jacket after a playoff with Justin Rose.

"From a guy outside looking in, and I'm not Sergio, but it looked like the year he won you managed your emotions when you had a bad break or two much better and didn't let it get to you," said Mickelson when sharing a press conference stage with Garcia at LIV Golf Miami.

"Augusta is a great course for you, and it seemed like when you had a few bad breaks or whatever reason you were just in this calm state of mind where it didn't affect you, and I thought that was an interesting thing as players to take away, to learn from."

Mickelson added that it took him over a decade of playing Augusta National to learn what it took to go on and win.

"For me personally, it was something very similar," he added. "It was the 15th hole is a hole that I would press. I would force the issue. I lost the tournament a number of times on 15 before I ended up winning it, and when I finally did win it in '04, I felt like, all right, a 5 is okay there.

"Like I could lose the tournament on 15; I don't need to make 4 every time. So I would always press the issue, and I'd make 6, 7 a number of times trying to make a 4, and when I finally accepted a 5 on that hole and tried to win it elsewhere, that's when I seemed to finally break through."

McIlroy can handle the pressure

McIlroy will again head down Magnolia Lane with a huge amount of eyeballs, and pressure, on him - something Mickelson has had himself for most of his career, but he believes the Northern Irishman can handle it.

"That's challenging. But he's done it so many times in his ability to win tournaments," said Mickelson. "He's been able to compartmentalize that. I don't think that's going to be an issue for him.

"I think he drives the ball so long and straight that he has a huge advantage on that golf course. He and about 20 guys that drive it like he does will have an advantage of playing it a certain way. But you still have to execute, you still have to hit the shots, and I think that's what he's focused on.

"I think his ability to compartmentalize all the things that have transpired in the past is a strength of his, so I don't think it'll be an issue or I don't think that's what's holding him back from winning the Masters."

Ryder Cup veteran, Sergio Garcia did his chances of making Luke Donald's European side later this year no harm at all after securing a double victory at LIV Golf Hong Kong on Sunday.

Garcia's 18-under total helped him see off Stinger's Dean Burmester by one stroke, with the South African having shot a spectacular eight-under 62 in the final round.

The 10-time Ryder Cup player carded five birdies and an eagle in his bogey-free closing round of 63 (-7), giving Garcia his second individual LIV title in his past seven starts - following on from LIV Golf Andalucia last term.

The Spaniard's solo success also played a significant part in Fireballs GC's one-stroke team triumph over Stinger GC. Garcia, Abraham Ancer (-9, T12th), David Puig (-8, T18th) and Luis Masaveu (-2, T42nd) all played their part in reaching a 37-under total after LIV's pre-season rule change regarding counted scores.

While a strong start to the new LIV Golf campaign is among the 45-year-old's highest priorities, Garcia is hoping to find form in 2025 for another important reason.

After playing in all but one Ryder Cup between 2002 and 2021 before being left out again in 2023, the competition's record point-scorer is hungry to make a triumphant return at Bethpage in September.

Garcia shared that he has been in contact with Team Europe captain, Luke Donald but acknowledges that all he can do to give himself the best chance of being a part of the dozen is to keep performing at a high level.

During his on-course interview, immediately after holing the winning putt, Garcia said: "I think [Luke Donald] is watching. We've been in touch, so I know that he's keeping an eye.

"The only thing I can do is keep playing good golf, and I just want to help the European team like I've tried to do every single time I've been a member of that team, and hopefully he will think I'm good enough for it."

The 2017 Masters champion switched back to an old blade putter since LIV Golf Adelaide in a bid to maintain his recent upturn in putting fortunes, and it appeared to help considerably as Garcia only recorded two bogeys all week - both of which were in the opening round.

Referring to the manner in which he wrapped up his second LIV Golf title, Garcia said: "It's great. Obviously I knew that I had to play well. My goal starting the day was to shoot five-under, which was going to help me and the team.

"I didn't hit the best tee shot on 18, but I knew that we were tied or one ahead, so I wasn't going to lay up, and I hit a beautiful 4-iron here and then obviously hit a great putt."

The victorious Fireballs captain continued: "Super proud of the team. I think Luis made a birdie on the last to give us the team [title]. Super proud of him after yesterday and how much he fought and everything, so it's been great."

Aside from Garcia, the story of the week was arguably Phil Mickelson's resurgence. Lefty turned in a third-place finish on 14-under, his highest since joining LIV, thanks to seven birdies on each day and seven bogeys throughout the week.

Explaining what might have led to the turnaround in form, the 10-time Major winner shared he is now playing "a different style of golf" than he had previously - one that he believes can lead to a long-term purple patch.

Mickelson said: "So I really had a great off-season, and I figured some things out, and I'm playing a different style of golf. I've been playing really well at home, and it's great to take it here.

"I didn't putt well at Adelaide, otherwise I would have contended there, as well. I played really good golf, and I had about four or five putts - today even - that could have gone lower and been an ultra round low to make a run.

"But the fact is I'm hitting a lot of good shots. I'm playing some good golf, and this is a building week as I continue to build into LIV and my goal of accomplishing a win in LIV as well as winning another major, getting ready for Augusta."

The oldest Major champion revealed he believes he can extend his own record in April while adding a fourth Masters title - following the example set by Tiger Woods, who won his fifth Green Jacket well into his 40s in 2019.

The 54-year-old was bullish about the state of his game and stated his all-time short game is back to its best at just the right time.

Responding to a question about LIV Golf Hong Kong being his best performance since a T2nd at the 2023 Masters, Mickelson replied: "It is, but it didn't feel hard. It felt easy. I probably led the field in fairways hit. I haven't seen the stats, but I'd be surprised if anybody hit more than I did.

"My game is getting sharp. My short game is back. I had a rough couple of years. My short game is really sharp now. My iron play is back, and my game is starting to really come around, and I'm also playing differently. I'm playing a lot less stressed, and it's coming."

The LIV Golf League continues next week in Singapore at Sentosa Golf Club between March 14-16.

Sergio Garcia has outlined his Ryder Cup ambitions for the Bethpage Black match and beyond.

The Spaniard is the record Ryder Cup points scorer, but he was absent from the 2023 edition at Marco Simone after resigning from the DP World Tour, which left him ineligible.

The LIV golfer has since rejoined the circuit in an effort to qualify for September’s match either automatically or as one of European captain Luke Donald’s wildcards.

The Fireballs GC captain spoke exclusively to Al Arabiya presenter Micheal Prendergast before the return of LIV Golf with the season-opener in Saudi Arabia, where he explained his decision to take up membership of the DP World Tour again.

"I love the Ryder Cup. Everyone knows that,” he said. “It’s my favorite event of the year in golf. I think that we’re members of the European Tour again, of the DP World Tour. That was the first criteria to be eligible to be a part of the Ryder Cup.”

To make the team automatically, Garcia will need to play a minimum of four DP World Tour events during the qualifying period, and reach the top six of the standings at the conclusion of the Betfred British Masters in August.

However, even if he fails via that route he could tempt Donald into handing him a place as one of the six captain’s picks.

He added: “Now it’s going to depend on how I play throughout the year. And hopefully, with the amount of tournaments that I’m going to play, hopefully if I play really, really well I can make it on my own.

“If not, then obviously I will depend on a pick from the captain from Luke Donald. But we’ll see. The only thing I can do is play the best golf that I can play and then see where that kind of puts me.”

Garcia also touched on the possibility of captaining the side in the future, potentially in the 2027 edition at Adare Manor. However, the 45-year-old insisted that, for the foreseeable future, he wants to participate as a player.

He said: “I would love to be playing still. Obviously there have been some talks or there were some talks about maybe the possibility of me being the captain there. But obviously my focus as of now is on playing and hopefully making a few more Ryder Cups if my game is good enough.

"And when that doesn’t happen, then we can try to focus on other things. But I don’t want to think about that until I know that I’m not good enough to be a part of it.”

While Garcia’s Ryder Cup future remains up in the air, he has received an invite to another of the year’s biggest contests, the PGA Championship, following his most recent start in the Major, which came three years ago.

He said: “I’m super thankful that because of the way I played last year, I got invited back to the PGA Championship. It’s one of my favorite Majors. And I’m super excited about going back without a doubt.

“I think what, in my personal opinion, what the Majors want is the best players there. And obviously we have a lot of those great players that deserve to be in a lot of those Majors.”

That news came before it was announced that LIV golfers will be able to earn a place in the US Open thanks to a new exemption category, and Garcia explained all players can do is continue performing well for the chance of more Major opportunities.

He said: “The only thing we can do is kind of keep playing, keep playing well, keep representing our game the best way possible. And then the Majors will make their decisions in who they want playing in them.”

Sergio Garcia has received an invite to play in this year’s PGA Championship.

The LIV Golf star’s participation in the second Major of the year was confirmed on social media by the big-money League’s official account.

Confirmation of Garcia’s appearance at the event, which will take place at Quail Hollow between 15 and 18 May, means he will make his first start on it since the 2022 tournament at Southern Hills, where he missed the cut.

The 2017 Masters champion failed to qualify for the 2023 tournament after falling down the world rankings following his move to LIV Golf the previous year. While the PGA Championship does not have an official qualification criteria based on world ranking, players in the top 100 the week before the event are typically invited.

Garcia was 189^th in the rankings the week before the 2023 tournament, and his failure to receive an invite meant his run of qualifying for every Major since 1999 was brought to an end. He then also missed The Open in July 2023, before again missing both Majors last year.

Garcia is still well below the top 100 in the world rankings, at 461^st, although it is not unheard of for the PGA of America to invite others to appear. For example, in 2024, another LIV Golf star, Joaquin Niemann, received an invite despite not being eligible via the official qualifying criteria.

Few would disagree that Garcia is worthy of his place in the 156-player field given his excellent form over the last year. He finished third in the LIV Golf individual standings for 2024, helped by his maiden victory in the League at Andalucia.

Garcia also finished T12 at the US Open at Pinehurst No.2 – a Major he participated in as one of four alternates added to the field to complete the line-up.

Last year, the 45-year-old also rejoined the DP World Tour as he bids to qualify for the European Ryder Cup team.

Garcia’s first Major of the year will be at The Masters, where he has a lifetime exemption thanks to his victory at Augusta National eight years ago. When he tees it up at the PGA Championship the following month, he will be hoping to arrest a run of seven successive missed cuts at the event that began in 2016.

Garcia has come close to winning the title several times over the years, most notably with runner-up finishes in his maiden appearance in 1999 and again in 2008.

The likes of John Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton are teeing it up in Dubai on the DP World Tour this week, but how come LIV Golf stars like those two are able to play?

Players who joined LIV Golf are banned from playing on the PGA Tour, while the DP World Tour dished out fines and suspensions to the likes of Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter when they first joined - prompting them to resign their membership.

For Rahm and Hatton though, along with Poland's Adrian Meronk and others, the situation is slightly different with those players having chosen not to resign their respective memberships and allowed to compete while an appeal against their fines and suspensions goes through the legal process.

It's a different case for Garcia as he has paid his fines and re-joined the DP World Tour in the hope of earning a return to Europe's Ryder Cup team later this year.

For Rahm and Hatton in particular, the timing of the appeals process is of particular importance with regards to their Ryder Cup participation - as both players will undoubtedly make Luke Donald's side either directly or as a captain's pick.

Rahm insists his plan is to line up for Europe at Bethpage Black, and said he hoped the appeals process would not be concluded until after the meeting with Team USA in September.

"I don't know what's going to happen in the future but I can tell you my plan is to be on that team at Bethpage," Rahm said ahead of his debut appearance at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic this week.

Rahm has not voiced whether he would pay his fines if ordered to, and would rather the issue was dealt with after the Ryder Cup.

"I don't know what's going to happen and I'm hoping they don't try to settle the appeal before the Ryder Cup," he added. "I don't think that would be good for anybody."

Golf Monthly understands that the process and timelines for the Rahm and Hatton appeals are yet to be determined by the DP World Tour, which deals with each case on an individual basis.

Talks between the DP World Tour and each player's legal teams need to be concluded first even before the process begins, with each LIV Golf event they play in assessed for what impact it has on a conflicting DP World Tour tournament.

Fines and suspensions are still being handed out every time Rahm, Hatton, and Garcia for that matter, play in a LIV Golf event being held the same week as a DP World Tour tournament.

But while Garcia seems happy to pay his, or rather LIV Golf pay them, Hatton and Rahm are waiting on their appeals before deciding whether they want to pay up or not.

They can all play on the DP World Tour in the meantime, but some big decisions need to be made somewhere along the line, with regards to the appeals of two of Europe's biggest Ryder Cup players and just when they will be heard.

There's also a wider question of whether the DP World Tour should go about securing its own deal with LIV Golf going forward to attract big-name player to its events while the PGA Tour and Saudi PIF continue to struggle to agree on a deal.

A message from the editor, Neil Tappin:

If you live in the UK and play year-round golf, you have little choice at times but to roll up your sleeves, slip on your best waterproofs and get on with it. 

Whether you’re a carry-on-regardless golfer or a wait-for-spring type of player, our January issue of Golf Monthly has something for you. For the former, I suggest making a beeline for page 68 and Top 50 Coach Adam Harnett’s tips and tricks for scoring well in difficult, winter conditions. From adding some extra carry distance off the tee to chipping off muddy lies, the technical adjustments he deftly explains should boost your cold weather scoring potential. 

For the latter group, we have plenty of inspiration to whet the appetite. From upcoming gear launches from the likes of Cobra and Odyssey to suggestions of where next to play from our excellent courses writers, there’s plenty to inspire a bumper golfing 2025. 

See below for more highlights from the issue...

2025 Calendar

Our ever-popular calendar is back for 2025, featuring images from world-renowned golf course photographer Kevin Murray. He's picked his favourite shots from another busy year snapping some of the best courses in the world.

Bumper Instruction Special

Our Top 50 Coaches have every element of the game covered for you. This month we focus on how to get the most from your golf this winter, as well as analysing the signature shots of the world's best players to see what you can learn.

Is Golf Too Expensive?

The cost of membership, greens fees, gear and more can give our game a bad rap. Is that fair or are there more affordable ways to play? Michael Weston investigates...

Confessions Of A Golf Club Fitter

Is everything always as it seems in the custom-fitting bay? We ask someone in the know how you can avoid some of the more unscrupulous practices. 

Sergio Garcia Exclusive

Ryder Cup record-breaker Sergio Garcia talks about playing for Europe, the Majors, his hopes for the future and, of course, his move to LIV two years ago.

Aaron Rai Exclusive

Aaron Rai’s Wyndham Championship victory has elevated his career to a new level. But, as he tells David Facey, he’s taking nothing for granted… 

The Hottest New Gear

We feature all of the best new equipment to hit the market this month, including a first look at the Odyssey Ai-One Square 2 Square putters and much more.

The Best Courses You Can Play

Our team of course experts travel the length and breadth of the UK and Ireland to bring you a mix of well-known clubs and hidden gems to add to your wish list. 

Sergio Garcia has paid his DP World Tour fines and rejoined the European Tour to give himself a chance at making his 11th Ryder Cup appearance and first since 2021 at Bethpage Black next year.

I think Sergio Garcia is a no-brainer pick for New York and am delighted that he has decided to rejoin the DP World Tour.

It's a sign that tensions in the golf world are truly thawing and Sergio will be a welcome addition in Dubai, at Wentworth, in the Spanish Open and wherever else he decides to play next year.

The Spaniard comes alive in the Ryder Cup and has nearly always seemed able to raise his game and secure points for Europe. He’s also in great form, having finished the LIV Golf season in third after a win and two runners-up finishes. He also recorded his best Major finish in over seven years when he was T12th at the US Open.

While there's an argument from some fans that he is 'washed up' or too old to play for Europe, that is far from the truth.

He might be outside of the top-400 in the OWGR, but he will still only be 45 come September next year and is 22nd in Data Golf’s rankings - the 8th-highest European - and 19th in The Universal Golf Ranking - the 7th-highest European. He is clearly still one of the continent's top golfers.

Garcia hopes to play in "two or three more" Ryder Cups, so Bethpage next year certainly isn't too late for him. "I feel like my game’s still good enough to play at least two or three Ryder Cups, so if I can keep that level going, hopefully everything gets sorted and we can get to that point," Garcia told Golf Monthly recently.

And even if he doesn't have the best of seasons in 2025, the Ryder Cup is played over 18 holes of match play, not 72, or 54 holes, of stroke play.

He’s a ready-made partner for Jon Rahm after the pair’s superb showing at Whistling Straits in 2021, where they won all three of their doubles match-ups together, and he has also had a great relationship with captain Luke Donald through the years, his former foursomes partner in multiple Ryder Cups.

Donald may love the idea of sending out an all-Spanish pairing of Garcia and Rahm, featuring his most experienced player and a two-time Major winner. The only issue there would be Rahm's new-found partnership with Tyrrell Hatton, which delivered Europe 2 points last time out from two outings.

There was, of course, also an issue with his friendship with Rory McIlroy breaking down during the early stages of golf's civil war, but that hopefully is ironed out by now. Garcia and McIlroy have played four matches together with a return of 2.5 points, so a return of that partnership would be some statement.

McIlroy only last week described Garcia as his hero growing up and the Spaniard seemed to suggest that he and McIlroy had rekindled their friendship at the 2023 US Open.

“The US Open was a great event for me,” Garcia said. “I finished 27th. Not only because of that, I feel like I played well. But more than anything because I gained a friend back, a friend I felt like I lost in the last year or so.

"We talked and we had a great conversation, and I feel like I have that friend back, and that to me means a lot. That’s a very positive thing.”

Whether Garcia makes a return to Team Europe is yet to be seen, and he will certainly need to continue his form next year to justify a wildcard pick from Luke Donald and his vice captains.

He might be a controversial figure, but he is a legend of European golf that has delivered points and winning moments for his continent time and time again. Sergio Garcia returning to the setup next year would be some story, and one that I hope comes to fruition.

A little over 18 months after Sergio Garcia appeared to draw a line under his DP World Tour career by resigning from the circuit, he has rejoined it after paying fines he incurred for playing for LIV Golf.

The DP World Tour has confirmed the news to Golf Monthly while Garcia, who won The Masters in 2017, is 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.

The Spaniard will be hoping the move paves the way for a potential return to the European Ryder Cup team.

Garcia is the all-time record points scorer at the match, but his eligibility for future editions rested on him settling his fines and being a member of the DP World Tour.

In an exclusive interview with Golf Monthly earlier in November, Garcia said he hoped he could continue his Ryder Cup career.

He explained: "I definitely hope so. I hope that things get better and I would love to.

"I’ve had talks with the European Tour and I still want to support the European Tour, so hopefully we all come to an agreement and that can be restored.

"I feel like my game’s still good enough to play at least two or three Ryder Cups, so if I can keep that level going, hopefully everything gets sorted and we can get to that point."

One of the most solid indications of Garcia’s intention to do what was required to become eligible came in October when European captain Luke Donald appeared in a Year to Go Media Event in New York.

At the time, Donald revealed that not only had he spoken to Garcia, but that he was considering taking up DP World Tour membership again.

He explained: “Well, first of all, obviously he resigned his membership a couple years ago. But we have had some chats. He's considering rejoining. He'd have to follow all the rules and regulations like everyone else, and if he does that, again, he will be eligible to partake in the Ryder Cup.”

The possibility of Garcia eventually rejoining the DP World Tour had appeared likely even earlier. Before last year’s match at Marco Simone, The Telegraph’s James Corrigan reported that Garcia had attempted to pay his fines with the DP World Tour in the hope of rejoining and becoming eligible.

However, he later revealed to i’s Kevin Garside that he didn't pursue the ambition after he was told by then DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley that there was “no chance" of him rejoining the circuit.

Clearly, the possibility of returning one day had not been entirely extinguished, though. In February, Garcia told the Rick Shiels Golf Show that he was "going to be a member again of the European Tour" in order to "give myself the best possibility of playing the Ryder Cup".

That has now come to pass, though it remains to be seen if Garcia will make the team for the 11^th time at the Bethpage Black edition next year.

The DP World Tour also confirmed to Golf Monthly that the appeal against the fines lodged by Garcia’s fellow LIV golfers Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton and Adrian Meronk had not yet been heard, meaning they are able to continue playing on the circuit in the interim.

As the countdown to the 2025 Ryder Cup continues, attention is turning to who might feature among the 24 competitors at the hotly-anticipated contest in New York.

For Team USA, there is an in-form Keegan Bradley-sized albatross hanging over the hosts while Team Europe may be able to consider a handful of LIV golfers again, should a peace deal be signed off in time.

As it stands, so much is uncertain in both the wider golfing landscape and in relation to the men who may or may not stand on the first tee at Bethpage Black in September.

One player who remains a legitimate contender is Sergio Garcia. However, he is currently unable to play given he is not a DP World Tour member.

Yet, speaking to Golf Monthly in an exclusive interview recently, the Spaniard admitted he had been involved in talks with the European Tour about a potential return and believes he is still more than capable of breaking Phil Mickelson's all-time Ryder Cup appearance record.

Garcia, who has 10 Ryder Cup starts and needs 13 to be the standalone history-maker, said: "I’ve had talks with the European Tour and I still want to support the European Tour, so hopefully we all come to an agreement and that can be restored.

"I feel like my game’s still good enough to play at least two or three Ryder Cups, so if I can keep that level going, hopefully everything gets sorted and we can get to that point."

But what do some of the Golf Monthly team think about Garcia's chances? Will the Spaniard be on Team Europe for the 2025 Ryder Cup?

I don't think so and I hope not. Yes, Garcia has been hugely impressive for Europe in the Ryder Cup, registering more points than any other player in blue and gold since the event's inception. But he's also openly quarrelled with the DP World Tour and jumped ship to line his pockets.

The phrases 'having your cake and eating it' and 'biting the hand that feeds you' come to mind. Now it appears he's in talks with the DP World Tour about finding a resolution, but rules shouldn't be relaxed for anyone – not Garcia or Jon Rahm (who may well be able to qualify by playing enough counting events – we shall see how that saga plays out).

Also, Garcia hasn't been a top-tier golfer for a couple of years now and, despite his record, I think Europe has better options for Bethpage Black.

If eligible and if welcome - I would hope that tensions have thawed and relationships can be or have been rebuilt by now - then I think Sergio Garcia is a no-brainer pick.

The Spaniard comes alive in the Ryder Cup and has nearly always seemed able to raise his game and secure points for Europe. He’s also in great form, having finished the LIV Golf season in third after a win and two runners-up finishes.

While he might be outside of the top-400 in the OWGR, he is 22nd in Data Golf’s rankings and 20th in The Universal Golf Ranking, putting him well inside the top-12 Europeans.

He’s a ready-made partner for Jon Rahm after the pair’s superb showing at Whistling Straits in 2021 and he has also had a great relationship with captain Luke Donald through the years, his former foursomes partner in multiple Ryder Cups.

For argument's sake, I'm going to pretend we're weighing up Garcia's chances of being on the team as if he is eligible as a DP World Tour member. It is impossible to ignore that he has been playing well recently (as proven by the Data Golf and Universal Golf Ranking) and, should he continue to do so, Garcia has to be considered for Europe's 12 from a simple playing point of view.

However, a Ryder Cup - especially for the away side - is about more than just putting your 12 best players out there. It's about camaraderie and looking around the team room being motivated to do well for those around you.

What Garcia can offer is experience and a calmness under the most intense pressure. But so can the likes of Justin Rose. Only the players and Luke Donald truly know the answer to this, but if Garcia has caused too much emotional damage via his previous comments following LIV Golf's creation, then maybe it would be best if Europe moved on without him.

Yet, if they have all put their issues behind them and everyone is friends again, then surely having Garcia would be a boost to Team Europe and Donald will likely pick him.

I can't deny the impact Sergio has made for European golf, but do I think he will be on Team Europe in 2025? Short answer - No.

I think he is playing well enough to be on the 12-man team, claiming a win in the LIV Golf League and finishing inside the top-three of their individual standings. However, the fact that nothing has come to fruition, yet, about Garcia rejoining the DP World Tour, shows that the only way we will likely see the Spaniard is if the qualifying criteria changes.

I'd love to see Garcia captain one day, and you can't argue that he definitely deserves a chance to, given his incredible record. For now, though, and heading into Bethpage Black on the wave of a dominant showing, I suspect Luke Donald will not want to change the winning formula from Rome.

Sergio Garcia is one of the most successful European golfers of all time, with 10 regular PGA Tour titles, 15 regular European Tour trophies, and one Masters Green Jacket highlighting a sparkling individual career.

But if you were to ask most golf fans which competition Garcia is most closely associated with, plenty would say the Ryder Cup - an astute observation given he is the team event's highest point scorer of all time from either side with 28.5.

At 44 years old, Garcia now competes in the LIV Golf League as Fireballs GC's captain and has collected one victory since joining the 54-hole circuit in 2022.

Interestingly, he has also taken steps into golf course design since switching tours and spoke to Golf Monthly's Jeremy Ellwood from the site of his latest project in Comporta, Portugal - Torre Golf Course - which is on the country's west coast, just below Lisbon.

Reflecting on some of the highlights of a professional career which began in 1999, here are seven takeaways from our exclusive interview with Sergio Garcia.

HOW MANY MAJORS GARCIA THOUGHT HE COULD WIN

At the time of writing, Garcia has only claimed one Major. That was at the 2017 Masters after he outlasted good friend, Justin Rose to finally get over the line.

Since turning pro in 1999, the Spaniard had failed to capitalize on several good opportunities, finishing second at the 2007 and 2014 Open Championships as well as the 1999 and 2008 PGA Championships. Garcia's best result at a US Open was third in 2005.

But, before all of that, a young man from north-east Spain felt as if he would take every Major opportunity that came his way.

Garcia explained: "When you’re young, you have no fears and you think that you can take on the world and nobody’s gonna beat you. But unfortunately that’s not the truth.

"I would probably have thought that I’d win between five and 10 [Majors], I would have hoped, but it hasn’t happened as many as I’d liked. I had my chances."

YOU NEVER FORGET YOUR FIRST...

Just before the turn of the millennium, the world was waking up to the pro career of Sergio Garcia Fernandez. After landing the Open de Cataluna as an amateur, Garcia claimed his first pro title as a professional at the 1999 Murphy's Irish Open on July 4.

And despite a quarter of a century having passed since, the man who held off Angel Cabrera by three strokes still remembers it as if it was yesterday.

Garcia said: "I remember a lot. You never forget your first professional win. Obviously it was an amazing week, I remember that Angel Cabrera finished second and was on my heels all day and we had a great battle.

"I remember the nice putt I made on 13 for birdie, I made a long putt there on a tough hole. And obviously the second shot on 18, it was great, it was with a 5-iron or something like that."

THE ACHIEVEMENT HE DOESN'T GIVE ENOUGH CREDIT TO

Sergio Garcia's Ryder Cup statline reads like this: Played 10, Won 6, Points 28.5. Whichever way you look at it, that's incredibly impressive.

Speaking during this interview, Garcia said he would rather go 0-5 and Europe wins the Ryder Cup than vice versa. Luckily, he never had to experience that situation as he collected at least one point in all 10 of his appearances, gathering two or more in nine and three or more points in six events.

Asked what it means to him to be the Ryder Cup's all-time leading point scorer, Garcia said: "It’s amazing, I think that - first and foremost - to be able to play as many Ryder Cups as I have played and be able to help Europe win as many as we did, that’s the most important thing. And then to be able to become the highest points scorer in Ryder Cup history, that’s the icing on top of the cake, I guess.

"It’s something that I probably don’t give it enough credit because I’ve always thought more about the team as well. I’ve always said I’d rather go 0-5 and Europe wins the Ryder Cup than me going 5-0 and we lose the cup.

"When you sit back and you think about how consistent I’ve been able to be in Ryder Cups and how many points I’ve been able to win, thanks not only to me but some of my partners, it makes me very proud."

TWO OR THREE MORE RYDER CUPS

While the aforementioned stats are good, Garcia believes they could get even better if he is ultimately allowed to compete in another Ryder Cup.

The Spaniard - with his eyes no doubt firmly fixed on Phil Mickelson's all-time Ryder Cup appearance record (12) - thinks he could help Team Europe in at least two more contests yet.

Responding to a question about retaining Ryder Cup ambitions, Garcia replied: "I definitely hope so. I hope that things get better and I would love to.

"I’ve had talks with the European Tour and I still want to support the European Tour, so hopefully we all come to an agreement and that can be restored.

"I feel like my game’s still good enough to play at least two or three Ryder Cups, so if I can keep that level going, hopefully everything gets sorted and we can get to that point."

LIV MOVE DIDN'T AFFECT LEGACY

After the majority of players moved over to the LIV Golf League back in 2022, many of them were met with derision from external quarters, however, the reaction has certainly been far less severe for those who have switched in the months and years since.

Garcia insists his legacy was not harmed by his change in tour and pointed to his family as his primary concern, regardless.

He said: "My legacy? No, I don’t think so. I think my legacy is mostly my family, my wife and my kids and how I treat them, how nice of a family that I leave here. I think that’s mostly my legacy.

"Obviously then there’s a little bit of when it comes down to golf too, but I think that’s a little bit more secondary."

I CAN STILL WIN ANOTHER MAJOR

When it comes to winning Major championships, Garcia was quick to state "I'm not done." The 44-year-old has plenty more shots at winning another Masters given his past champions exemption, although his quest to reach the other three will be slightly tougher.

Nevertheless, Garcia is convinced that if he continues to play the level of golf that saw him record a 12th-place finish at the US Open this year, another Major is well within reach.

Asked if another Major was a realistic possibility, he said: "I think so, without a doubt. I think with the way that I’ve played over these last few years, but mostly this year, it definitely shows me that I can.

"I played very well at the US Open without too much stuff really going my way - I finished 12th - so I felt like I had a little bit of an outside chance there.

"The way I’ve been playing, it gives me the feeling that I’m not done in that aspect. I will give myself chances, and then it comes down to little things here and there, but I still feel like I can give myself chances."

OPEN QUALIFYING VOW

Earlier this year, Garcia took part in Final Open Qualifying at West Lancashire Golf Club but narrowly missed out on a trip to Royal Troon by two strokes.

It was the second year in a row that the Spaniard had failed to make it through to golf's oldest Major following 24 consecutive appearances - a run that was effectively brought to a halt by his LIV move.

Moving forward, Garcia says he will continue to run the qualifying gauntlet as many times as he needs to in order to play the Major that he loves.

Asked if he would continue to enter Open Qualifying every year, Garcia said: "Yes, until I feel like I can’t do it anymore or I don’t have a chance to do it. Obviously, I would love to not have to qualify, but if it comes to that then I’m always willing to. I love The Open, I always have, and I would love to be able to play it many more times."

FAVORITE COURSE HELPED INSPIRE LATEST DESIGN

Now that Garcia has a little more time on his hands, he can finally start to properly pursue another of his passions - golf-course design.

Every architect has their own style and unique way of shaping a golf course, so what will define a Sergio Garcia course exactly? Well, according to the man himself, there will be one notable similarity between them and his favorite course in the world.

Garcia said: "I think you’ll see small greens, for the most part. Valderrama is my favorite golf course - small targets. It helps in many ways of focusing better when you hit your shots into the greens.

"And when it comes to taking care of the golf course, it’s much nicer and easier to maintain. There’s less water needed than if you have super-big greens where you have to use more water, more chemicals, more machines and stuff like that. Sustainability is important for us, too, so I guess they go hand in hand."

Team Europe Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald has revealed he has spoken to LIV Golf star Sergio Garcia about the 2025 match at Bethpage Black, and that he is considering rejoining the DP World Tour to be eligible.

The Englishman took part in a Year to Go Media Event in New York alongside US counterpart Keegan Bradley, where the pair also confirmed that LIV golfers would be considered for both teams. 

Garcia is the record Ryder Cup points scorer, but his involvement in the 2023 match at Marco Simone was cast into doubt after he joined LIV Golf. 

European players need to be members of the DP World Tour to be eligible, and the Spaniard then drew a line under his chances of making the team when he resigned from the DP World Tour in May 2023.

However, Donald has now revealed that not only has he spoken to Garcia, but that he’s considering taking up DP World Tour membership again.

He said: “Well, first of all, obviously he resigned his membership a couple years ago. But we have had some chats. He's considering rejoining. He'd have to follow all the rules and regulations like everyone else, and if he does that, again, he will be eligible to partake in the Ryder Cup.”

It’s not the first time the possibility of Garcia rejoining the DP World Tour has cropped up.

Before last year’s contest, The Telegraph’s James Corrigan reported that he had attempted to pay his fines with the DP World Tour in the hope of rejoining and becoming eligible for the match.

Garcia later revealed to i’s Kevin Garside that he didn't pursue after he was told by then DP World Tour CEO Keith Pelley that there was “no chance" of him rejoining the circuit.

However, earlier this year. Garcia told the Rick Shiels Golf Show that he was "going to be a member again of the European Tour" in order to "give myself the best possibility of playing the Ryder Cup".

That is yet to happen, but Donald insists it remains a serious option. He said: “Yeah, we chatted on phone a couple weeks ago. You know, he's certainly very interested in doing that. He understands everything that's involved, and again, the decision has to go to him, whether he's prepared to do all that. But certainly, we've had that discussion, yes.”

Donald also revealed that he had also spoken to Garcia’s fellow LIV Golf players Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton about next year’s match. He said: “Oh, I've spoken to Jon. I've spoken to everyone that is a possibility for being on that team. It was great to see Jon do what he needed to do to remain eligible and to see him in Spain, and last week he played very well at the Dunhill. We're in constant communication.

“Again, I'm talking to all the players, to him, to Tyrrell. It was great to see Tyrrell win last week at the Dunhill. You know, again, good communication between myself and all these players is vital, and I've certainly been keeping up with that.”

On Saturday, the LIV Golf Team Championship produced more drama, as the bottom seed Ironheads GC quartet defeated Bryson DeChambeau's Crushers GC side to move into the final on Sunday.

Along with the Ironheads, Legion XIII GC managed to get through to the final despite captain, Jon Rahm, being forced out through illness, with the 4Aces GC and Ripper GC completing the final spots. 

There was lots of tight golf on display Saturday and, arguably, the most dramatic game was Ripper GC against Fireballs GC, with one pivotal moment coming in the match between Lucas Herbert and David Puig.

Starting on the 16th hole, Fireballs Puig won the 16th and 18th to move 2-up, as the duo then won three holes each over the next eight to keep Puig 2-up with seven holes to go.

As the pair halved the ninth, 10th and 11th, the 22-year-old remained two clear and, with four holes remaining, you could be forgiven for thinking that the game was all but up for Herbert, whose Ripper side had already lost the final match 3&1 to be 1-0 down overall.

However, the Australian battled back and, with a par-birdie-par run on the 12th, 13th and 14th, he regained the lead as a par at the last handed him a 1-up victory over Puig, who had led for the majority of the day.

Certainly, the loss had an affect on Puig, who was seen being consoled by his captain, Sergio Garcia, as the young Spaniard was near to tears as the top match of Marc Leishman and Eugenio Chacarra went to playoff holes.

To make things worse, Ripper's Leishman then defeated his opponent with a par at the first playoff hole, which knocked out Fireballs and secured a spot in the final for the Australian quartet.

Sergio Garcia says that going through Major qualifying the last couple of years has given him a new perspective on how much he loves playing in golf's biggest events.

Garcia finally got his first individual LIV Golf win at the weekend, and did it in style with a playoff victory on home soil at Valderrama in front of his family and friends.

Although elated with his victory, Garcia will miss out on this week's Open Championship for the second year running after failing to get through Final Qualifying at West Lancashire.

Garcia did manage to get into the US Open through qualifying, while he can play in The Masters for life after claiming the Green Jacket in his sole Major victory.

It's going through the qualifying events that has changed Garcia's perspective - not only in how tough it is to get into the Majors, but how important they are for him to play in.

"I don't want to sound like I'm bragging or anything like that, I've been very fortunate to play pretty much every single Major since the British Open in '99 until 2023," said Garcia after winning in Spain. "I only missed the Masters because of Covid.

"Even though you realize that the Majors are super important and it's what we love to play and stuff, when you get the chance to play in so many in a row, you start forgetting how difficult it actually is to make it into those Majors.

"This last year and a half or so, I've realized how difficult it is playing qualifiers and stuff like that. One day you hit two bad shots and you're out.

"It's given me definitely a different perspective on the Majors, on how much they mean, on how much harder I'm trying when I'm playing them, and the US Open was a good example of that. 

"I was trying so hard to have a good week and play well and get in the top 10 so then I would qualify for the next year and things like that, and then obviously played the qualifier like 10 days ago for the British Open and just missing out."

There's no direct route into the Majors from LIV Golf, and while that may change eventually for now Garcia is determined to try and qualify for as many as he can.

Plenty of LIV Golf stars tried to make it to Troon this year, with 17 eventually making it via qualifying or exemptions, but some such as Talor Gooch don't even enter qualifying.

Garcia, though, is not one of those and his love for Major golf is so strong he'll continue to try and qualify as long as he can.

"I know even more how hard it is and how important the Majors are," he added. "And I still want to play as many as I can.

"Hopefully things get better and we start getting spots coming into some of the majors, but if not, I'll just keep playing qualifiers until my body says enough is enough, I guess."

As a big Sergio Garcia fan, I can never resist the chance to watch him work his magic on the golf course. Despite disappointingly missing out at the Open Final Qualifying this week, Sergio Garcia has been playing some great golf – finishing runner-up on LIV Golf twice this season.

His 2017 Masters victory is still one of my favourite golf memories, and I can still recall being overawed by his short-game sorcery around the tricky greens at Augusta National.  So, despite the fact we wont be seeing Sergio at Royal Troon later this month, I decided to embrace a brief nostalgic journey through time.

In this article, and thanks to the incredible depth of the Golf Monthly archives, Sergio Garcia discussed his memories of Augusta National and shared his top tips for improving your short game with two shots he utilised on his way to famously winning the Green Jacket...

The Smooth Lob Wedge

A lot of players carded double- bogeys (or higher) at the 2017 Masters. I was lucky – bogey was my worst score all week, and the one I made on the 10th on Sunday felt more like a par.

After hitting my approach into the pine straw right of the green, I had one option: a soft lob. It’s a shot I learned as a little kid. There’s no better way to get the ball up and stop it quickly from short range.

The lob I hit on the 10th rolled out a bit, because the green was running away from me, but it was close enough for a manageable up-and-down.

In terms of technique, it’s easy. First, open the clubface as much as you can. Open your stance, too – just make sure the clubface points at your target.

Once you’re set, take the club back slowly – a fast backswing destroys tempo. As you transition into your downswing, smoothly accelerate through the ball. Think ‘calm speed, full swing’. And don’t quit on it!

Keep your hips over your toes. The less you sway on both your backswing and downswing, the greater your odds of crisp contact. Although it’s a short shot, you need decent speed and full commitment to launch the ball high enough to get that nice, soft landing you’re after.

The 'Bite And Spin' Wedge

The easiest way to make more putts is to knock the ball closer to the pin, especially with your wedges and short irons. The key is to get the ball to ‘bite’ and spin back – or at least hold its ground.

After all, you can’t get close if your shots run out well past the pin. On my first hole on Sunday at The Masters in 2017, I left my 133-yard approach just five feet from the hole, then made the birdie putt. And I hit my approach nice and tight on the 18th hole, thanks to lot of ball-controlling spin.

Crisp, clean contact is critical bite-and-spin wedge shots, and starts by keeping your body stable. At the top of your swing, your upper body must be over the ball, just as it was at set-up. I see a lot of weekend players sway to the left or right as they swing.

That’s not how you add wedge spin – that’s how you thin it. Keep your chest over the ball well into your downswing. You want ball-first contact and then a healthy divot, and it helps to have your upper body centered above your contact point.

And take healthy swings. Give it a good whack, making sure the club reaches top speed through impact, not before. Time it right and the grooves of the clubface will grab the ball, creating the friction you need.

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Sergio Garcia narrowly missed out at Open Final Qualifying for the second successive year at West Lancashire Golf Club in England, and he said a slow play warning caused him to rush.

The Spaniard was seen in a viral video on social media talking to rules officials who warned his group of slow play. He said that rushing caused him to make a couple of bogeys and cost him a chance of making it to Royal Troon.

Garcia finished at three-under after rounds of 71 and 70, eventually ending two strokes back of the mark that would have got him into a playoff.

"The marshalls were doing as good a job as they could do but we had to stop pretty much on every tee for two or three minutes because people were walking on the fairways," Garcia said.

"Unless we wanted to start hitting people, we couldn't hit. I don't think they took that into account and that was unfortunate as it made us rush.

"On a day like today, where the conditions are so tricky, you might need a little bit of extra time and because of that I made a couple of bogeys which might have cost me getting to Troon."

The LIV Golfer finished three back of the spots last year at West Lancs, where he went on to miss his first Open since 1997. It means that he'll make his 100th Major start at next year's Masters, where he won in 2017.

"I come here and I try my hardest to get into The Open," Garcia said. "It would be nice to make The Open my 100th Major, but it was tough conditions and sometimes things don't go your way. ... I tried everything that I could and that's all I can ask myself for."

Garcia's fellow LIV player Sam Horsfield was one of the four to make it through at West Lancs, with the Englishman qualifying for his first Major since joining LIV in 2022.

Amateur Matthew Dodd-Berry topped the leaderboard with Daniel Brown and Masahiro Kawamura also making it through.

Garcia's next start will be a familiar one next week at LIV Golf Valderrama before LIV Golf UK at JCB Golf and Country Club two weeks later.

The 44-year-old made it through US Open Final Qualifying earlier this year and went on to finish T12th at Pinehurst No.2. He has enjoyed a good start to the season in the LIV Golf League, currently sitting 7th in the standings after two runners-up finishes as well as another top-five.

The 16 players to qualify for the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon have been confirmed, after 36 holes of final qualifying at Royal Cinque Ports, Burnham and Berrow, West Lancashire and Dundonald Links.

With the top four from the four qualifiers making it through, the field for The Open in two weeks is now almost complete.

Justin Rose secured his spot after rounds of 66 and 68 to finish in a tie for first at Burnham and Berrow.

The 2013 US Open champ finished on eight-under alongside English amateur Dominic Clemons, while LIV Golfer Abraham Ancer and Charli Lindh of Sweden outlasted India's Anirban Lahiri to claim the other two spots via a three-for-two playoff. 

“The Open’s been a bit of a fairytale and love story for me since I was 14 and I qualified at Scotscraig," Rose said. “Sometimes you take it for granted – you’re exempt, you turn up and play for many years, but as you get older, things get a little harder so in some ways it’s good to have to qualify because it makes you appreciate The Open a little more and how special it is."

LIV Golf star and 2017 Masters winner Sergio Garcia will miss out on The Open for the second year in a row after finishing two strokes behind the qualifying spots in West Lancashire. 

Amateur Matthew Dodd-Berry and LIV Golfer Sam Horsfield claimed the top qualifying spots at six-under, with Englishman Daniel Brown and Masahiro Kawamura of Japan finishing a shot behind. 

England's Matthew Southgate, Elvis Smylie of Australia and Spanish amateurs Jaime Montojo Fernandez and Luis Masaveu made it through at Royal Cinque Ports.

At Dundonald, Sam Hutsby won by three strokes and will be joined at Troon by Spain's Angel Hidalgo, Galway amateur Liam Nolan and Jack McDonald of Scotland. 

The 16 qualifiers from Open Final Qualifying

Burnham and Berrow

-8 Justin Rose

-7 Dominic Clemons (a)

-5 Charlie Lindh*

-5 Abraham Ancer*

Dundonald Links

-8 Sam Hutsby

-5 Angel Hidalgo

-5 Liam Nolan (a)

-4 Jack McDonald*

Royal Cinque Ports

-6 Matthew Southgate

-3 Elvis Smylie

-3 Jaime Montojo Fernandez (a)

-2 Luis Masaveu (a)*

West Lancashire

-6 Matthew Dodd-Berry (a)

-6 Sam Horsfield

-5 Daniel Brown

-5 Masahiro Kawamura

*qualified via playoff

Follow all the action from the Open Final Qualifying as it happened, or view the full leaderboard from all four sites.

Updates from:

Hello and welcome to updates as some big names, journeymen pros and upcoming amateurs battle it out for the 16 spots up for grabs at Royal Troon.

Who will make it? Find out with our latest updates throughout the afternoon.

ROSE AND ANCER IN THE HUNT AT BURNHAM & BERROW

Four spots are available at each of the four qualifying venues today, with PGA Tour player Justin Rose and LIV Golf's Abraham Ancer in a good position at Burnham & Berrow in Sommerset, England. 

Ancer is currently tied for the lead with English amateur Dominic Clemons at -7, with both players through seven holes in round two.  

Rose, a former world No.1 and Open runner-up, is a shot back at -6 after his first three holes of round two. 

Former Open low amateur Chris Wood currently occupies the fourth qualifying spot at -5, with three players tied at -4. 

A big crowd has gathered to watch local favorite Rose at the course.

GARCIA IN CONTENTION AT WEST LANCASHIRE

LIV Golf's Sergio Garcia is the star attraction at the qualifying event in West Lancashire, and is looking to return to The Open after missing out last year for the first time since 1997.

Garcia's bid to claim one of the four qualifying spots got off to a slow start, quite literally, after his group was handed a slow play warning in the first round. 

The Spaniard was reportedly "furious" with the call, but managed to card a one-under 71 in the first round, before continuing his solid play into the second round to sit in a tie for fourth at -2, alongside six other players. 

Japan's Masahiro Kawamura has opened a two-shot lead at the top after a red-hot four-under through 12 holes in the second round, with Sam Horsefield (-4) and Oliver Lindell (-3) trailing.

Garcia's LIV Golf colleague Carlos Ortiz is in a tie for 10th at -1.

TIGHT RACE AT DUNDONALD LINKS

Englishman Sam Hutsby is looking good to qualify for the 152nd Open as he leads at the top by four shots, with three holes to play in his second round. 

Hutsby is three-under so far after shooting a 67 in his first round. 

Meanwhile, there is a tight race for the remaining spots, with Liam Jonhston, Tim Widing and amateur Liam Nolan locked in a tie for second at -4.

Sweden's Widing is currently No.3 on the Korn Ferry Tour standings following back-to-back victories in April.

LIV Golf's Peter Uihlein is six strokes off the top four at +2.

SHOOTOUT AT ROYAL CINQUE PORTS

The battle for the top four at Royal Cinque Ports is set to be a shootout, with Matthew Southgate leading by one stroke and six players tied for second a shot back.

Andreas Halvorsen, Elvis Smylie, Aaron Cockerill, Eugenio Chacarra, Jamie Rutherford and Branden Grace are tied at -2, while four players are locked at -1.

LIV's Graeme McDowell has work to do at +2 if he wants to make his first Open appearance in five years.

HORSFIELD CHASING FIRST MAJOR APPEARANCE SINCE 2022

English LIV Golf star Sam Horsfield has put himself in a good position to qualify for his first Major since 2022. 

He sits in second at -5 through nine holes in his second round at West Lancashire, with three players tied two shots back at -3. Masahiro Kawamura of Japan leads at -6.

Horsfield finished in second at LIV's most recent event in Nashville, six shots behind runaway winner Tyrrell Hatton. 

The 27-year-old's last Major appearance was in 2022, when he missed the cut at The Open at St Andrews. 

ROSE MOVES INTO LEAD WITH THREE STRAIGHT BIRDIES

Justin Rose has sunk three birdies in a row to sit in a tie for the lead at Burnham & Berrow alongside amateur Dominic Clemons. 

Rose opened his second round with two pars before knocking in three straight birds to claim the top spot, before Clemons joined him on -8 with his fifth birdie of the day.

Abraham Ancer is a shot back at -7, while Anirban Lahiri and Chris Wood are in a tie for fourth at -5.

GARCIA FALLS BACK AFTER BOGEY

Sergio Garcia has fallen two shots behind the top four at West Lancashire after a bogey on his 11th hole in round two. 

Garcia, who has competed at the Masters and US Open this season, is in a tie for ninth and has six holes left to move up the leaderboard.

SOUTHGATE EXTENDS LEAD AT ROYAL CINQUE PORTS

Matthew Southgate has started his back nine with two straight birdies, taking him two shots clear at the top. 

Southgate has five birdies and one bogey for his second round so far, and sits at -5 with seven holes to go.

He leads Andreas Halvoersen and Jamie Rutherford at -3, with three players tied in fourth a shot back.

The Englishman is looking to make The Open via final qualifying for the fifth time in his career.

GARCIA SINKS A BIG PUTT TO STAY IN THE HUNT

Garcia has kept himself in the race with a clutch birdie putt at the par-4 fourth hole, prompting big cheers from the crowd.

The Major winner, who started on the back nine, rolled in a nice putt from about 12 feet to move to -2.

He is still two strokes behind the top four with five holes to play in his round. 

ROSE FIRST COMPETED AT OPEN FINAL QUALIFYING IN 1995

HOW THINGS STAND

Here's a snapshot of the current leaders at the four venues.

Burnham & Berrow

-8 Justin Rose

-7 Dominic Clemons, Justin Walters

-6 Abraham Ancer

Dundonald Links

-8 Sam Hutsby

-6 Liam Nolan 

-5 Tim Widing

-4 Daniel Young

Royal Cinque Ports

-4 Matthew Southgate

-4 Jamie Rutherford

-2 Andreas Halvorsen, James Allan, Elvis Smylie, Jaime Montojo Fernandez, Branden Grace

West Lancashire

-6 Masahiro Kawamura

-5 Sam Horsfield

-4 Ben Schmidt, Daniel Brown, Matthew Dodd-Berry

HUTSBY FINISHES ON -8

Sam Hutsby has carded a three-under 69 for his second round and holds a two-stroke lead in the clubhouse at Dundonald Links. 

It is now a waiting game for the Englishman as the rest of the players finish their second rounds. 

Hutsby's closest rival is currently amateur Liam Nolan, who is at -6 with five holes to go.

He has a four stroke advantage over Daniel Young, who is in fourth place with eight to go.

WALTERS MAKES A BIG MOVE, ANCER DROPS A SHOT

South African Justin Walters has rocketed up the leaderboard at Burnham & Below thanks two birdies and an eagle in his first five holes.

Walters is now tied for second alongside Dominic Clemons at -7, with Justin Rose leading at -8.

Meanwhile, Abraham Ancer has fallen back to -6 after a bogey on No.12, but still clings on to the fourth spot. He has two birdies and two bogeys so far, with six holes to go in his second round.

GARCIA A SHOT BACK

Sergio Garcia is fighting hard to stay in the race at West Lancashire.

He is one shot behind the top four with three holes to play in his round, after back-to-back birdies on his 13th and 14th holes.

He then converted a tricky up-and-down on the par-3 sixth (his 15th hole) to stay in the hunt, but he's slowly running out of holes. 

Kawamura leads the way on -5, with four players tied at -4. Sam Bairstow is with Garcia at -3.

CLUBHOUSE LEADER SAM HUTSBY 'IN SHOCK' 

Sam Hutsby, who leads at Dundonald Links on -8 after rounds of 67 and 69, said he was shocked to have played so well after a "grind all day".

“In a little bit of shock," he told the R&A's Final Qualifying Radio. "It was a grind all day and I can’t believe I’ve only made one bogey.

"I knew the course was playing difficult so I had to stay patient. I’m a bit lost for words at the moment.

“The bunkers are so brutal around here and I found quite a few of them today. But I managed to recover and the eagle at the par-5 really got my second round going."

GARCIA MISSES BIRDIE CHANCE

Garcia had a good opportunity to join the group at -4 but couldn't convert a decent birdie chance on No.7. 

The Spaniard (-3) will need at least a birdie in his last two holes to have a chance at qualification. 

Kawamura is the clubhouse leader at -5 after a three-under 69, while amateur Matthew Dodd-Berry is also at -5 with four holes to go. 

Three English players are in a tie for third at -4: Ben Schmidt, Daniel Brown and Sam Horsfield.

HIDALGO HOLES OUT ON THE LAST!

Crazy scenes at Dundonald Links as Angel Hidalgo holes out from around 120 yards on his final hole for eagle to move into a tie for second at -5. 

Hidalgo's incredible shot completed a three-under 69 for his second round, all but securing his spot at The Open.

With Hutsby in the clubhouse at -8, it leaves Liam Nolan (-5), Tim Widing (-4) and Daniel Young (-4) as the main contenders for the remaining two spots.

ANCER OUT OF TOP FOUR AFTER TRIPLE BOGEY

Abraham Ancer's chances of qualifying for The Open took a major blow after he slumped to a triple bogey on the par-3 14th. 

Ancer misjudged two chips in a row to card a costly triple, but managed to bounce back on the following hole with a crucial birdie.

The LIV Golf player is now one shot behind the qualifying spots with three holes to go. 

Clemons leads at -9, with Rose a shot back. Charlie Lindh and Justin Walters are tied for third on -6.

FOUR-WAY TIE FOR THE LEAD AT WEST LANCASHIRE

There is a four-way tie at the top at West Lancashire, while Sergio Garcia needs something special on the last to have a chance. 

Daniel Brown and Masahiro Kawamura are both in the clubhouse at -5, with Matthew Dodd-Berry and Sam Horsfield tied for the lead with three holes to play. 

It means Garcia will need at least an eagle on his final hole to have any chance at qualification.

HIDALGO ON HIS STUNNING FINISH

Hidalgo has all but secured a spot at The Open after a sensational eagle hole out on his final hole to jump to a tie for second at Dundonald Links. 

Speaking to R&A's Final Qualifying Radio after his stunning finish, Hidalgo said: "I'm still shaking.

"The second shot was perfect distance, it was the first time all day I had a full club and at that type of moment with nerves I prefer to have a full club.

"Obviously I didn't see the ball go in, but to be honest, I don't care. I just jumped and cried with my caddie and we deserve it. We fight a lot, all this year we've not really had luck, so if finally I take the place (in The Open) it would be a really good gift."

GARCIA SET TO MISS THE OPEN

Sergio Garcia will likely miss The Open once again after carding a two-under 70 for his second round. 

He currently sits in a tie for sixth at West Lancashire on -3, with three players already in the clubhouse with better scores. 

His only hope will be for both leader Matthew Dodd-Berry (-6) and Sam Horsfield (-5) to drop several shots in their final holes - which isn't looking too likely.

Carlos Ortiz and Sam Bairstow have both also finished on -3. 

GARCIA: 'SOMETIMES THINGS DON'T GO YOUR WAY'

After narrowly missing out at West Lancashire last year, Sergio Garcia looks set to fall short of Open qualification once again.

His rounds of 71 and 70 doesn't look like it will be enough for what would've been his 100th Major of his career. 

Speaking after his round, he said: "I come here and I try my hardest to get into The Open. It would be nice to make The Open my 100th major, but it was tough conditions and sometimes things don't go your way. I tried all I could and that's all I can ask myself for."

HORSFIELD SET TO BE ONLY LIV PLAYER TO QUALIFY

Sam Horsfield has birdied his 16th hole to tie the lead at West Lancashire. 

He joins amateur Matthew Dodd-Berry at the top on -6, with Daniel Brown and Masahiro Kawamura both in the clubhouse at -5.

Horsfield, who has two holes to go, looks like he'll be the only LIV Golf player to earn a spot at Royal Troon in today's final qualifying.

ONE SPOT UP FOR GRABS AT DUNDONALD

The top three players at Dundonald Links are in the clubhouse, with one spot up for grabs.

Sam Hustby (-8), Angel Hidalgo (-5) and Liam Nolan (-5) have finished their second rounds, leaving three players at -4 in the final spot.

Jack McDonald, Tim Widing and Daniel Young are locked at -4, but Young is the only one still out on the course and can claim the last spot with a birdie on his final two holes.

ROSE STUMBLES BUT STAYS IN TOP FOUR

Justin Rose has made his first mistake of his second round with a costly double bogey on the par-4 12th. 

It drops him to -6 in a tie for third with Charlie Lindh at Burnham & Bellow.

Anirban Lahiri and Abraham Ancer are both in the clubhouse at -5, while Ross McGowan and Henric Sturehed are still in with a shot at -4 and -3 respectively.

SOUTHGATE CARDS STUNNING -5

Matthew Southgate looks like he has secured a spot at the 152nd Open after a superb five-under 67 in his second round at Royal Clinque Ports. 

Southgate leads the field by three strokes and is set to make The Open via final qualiyfing for the fifth time.

Australian Elvis Smylie and Spanish amateur Jaime Montojo Fernandez are also looking good at -3, while Jamie Rutherford, Luis Masaveu and Branden Grace are locked at -2.

ROSE BOUNCES BACK WITH A BIRDIE

Rose has immediately bounced back from his triple bogey with a birdie on the par-5 13th at Burnham & Berrow. 

The English veteran is now in solo second at -7 with five holes to go, one shot behind clubhouse leader Dominic Clemons. 

Four players are locked at -5 in a tie for third: Anirban Lahiri (69), Abraham Ancer (72), Charlie Lindh (thru 17) and Justin Walters (thru 11).

SOUTHGATE 'OVER THE MOON' AFTER DOMINANT DISPLAY

Matthew Southgate says he is "over the moon" after a brilliant five-under 67 to finish with a three-shot lead at Royal Cinque Ports. 

"I'm over the moon," he said after his round. "That was a real test of links golf. It took a lot of patience, a lot of working out.

"It just reminds me of my dad. The Open is the absolute best, I can't wait. It just means everything."

DUNDONALD SET FOR THREE-WAY PLAYOFF

Daniel Young has finished on -4, meaning he will join Jack McDonald and Tim Widing in a three-way playoff to decide the fourth player at Dundonald Links to qualify for The Open. 

The playoff will start on hole 10 in a sudden death format, with holes 11 and 18 used if necessary.

Sam Hutsby (-8), Angel Hidalgo (-5) and amateur Liam Nolan (-5) have secured their spots at Royal Troon. 

ANOTHER BIRDIE FOR ROSE

Rose is now tied for the lead with Dominic Clemons at Burnham & Bellow thanks to a birdie at the 15th. 

He is now looking good for qualification after a double bogey scare at the 12th.

Four players remain tied on -5, with Justin Walters the only one still out on the course on the 13th. 

FOUR QUALIFIERS AT WEST LANCASHIRE CONFIRMED

The four players at West Lancashire who will be teeing off at Royal Troon have been confirmed. 

Amateur Matthew Dodd-Berry and LIV Golf's Sam Horsfield have finished in a tie for first at -6, while Daniel Brown and Masahiro Kawamura also booked their spots at The Open at -5.

ANOTHER PLAYOFF AT ROYAL CINQUE PORTS

Jamie Rutherford, Branden Grace and amateur Luis Masaveu will compete in a three-way playoff for the last remaining spot at Royal Cinque Ports. 

The trio finished on -2 and will move on to a sudden-death playoff.

Matthew Southgate (-6), Elvis Smylie (-3) and Jaime Montojo Fernandez (-3) have qualified for The Open in two weeks.

10 OF 16 QUALIFIERS CONFIRMED

10 players have qualified so far: Sam Hutsby, Angel Hidalgo, Liam Nolan (a), Matthew Southgate, Elvis Smylie, Jaime Montojo Fernandez (a), Matthew Dodd-Berry (a), Sam Horsfield, Daniel Brown and Masahiro Kawamura.

The leaders at Burnham & Berrow, Dominic Clemons and Justin Rose, are also looking good for qualification.

MCDONALD WINS THE PLAYOFF AT DUNDONALD

Jack McDonald has nailed a 12-foot birdie putt to book his spot at The Open after a playoff against Daniel Young and Tim Widing. 

All three players hit the green on the first sudden-death playoff hole, but McDonald was the only one to sink a birdie.

The Scot, who is a member of Kilmarnock Barassie which is near Royal Troon, can now use his local knowledge at The Open in two weeks. 

ROSE TEES OFF ON 18TH; WALTERS HOPES TO BREAK TIE

Rose looks like he's done enough to qualify for The Open as he sits in a tie for the lead with one hole to go. 

Unless Rose blows up on the last, he will join Dominic Clemons - who is in the clubhouse at -8 - at The Open. 

Meanwhile, Justin Walters is the only man who can break the tie for third, with three others in the clubhouse at -5. 

Walters and Henric Sturehed (-3) have four holes to go.

ROSE QUALIFIES FOR THE OPEN

Rose has tapped in for par at the 18th to secure his spot at Royal Troon. 

The 43-year-old is in the clubhouse with a tie for the lead at -8, alongside amateur Dominic Clemons. 

Both Rose and Clemons, who are three shots ahead of the four players in third, will qualify for The Open.

Rose was a popular player at Burnham & Berrow, with a big crowd following him today.

PLAYOFF CONTINUES AT ROYAL CINQUE PORTS

The three-way playoff at Royal Cinque Ports will move on to the second.

Branden Grace, Jamie Rutherford and Luis Masaveu could only manage pars on the first sudden-death hole.

DODD-BERRY'S 'GREATEST MOMENT'

Amateur Matthew Dodd-Berry said it was a dream come true to qualify for The Open at Royal Troon. 

Dodd-Berry finished in a tie for first alongside Sam Horsfield at West Lancashire. 

"It’s the greatest moment, it’s everything I’ve worked towards. I did it a year late, last year would have been great at my home course but I’m really excited to go to Troon," he said.

"The support today was incredible."

MASAVEU WINS THE PLAYOFF AT ROYAL CINQUE PORTS

Spanish amateur Luis Masaveu has booked his spot at The Open after a birdie on the second hole of a three-way playoff at Royal Cinque Ports. 

Masaveu joins clubmate and fellow amateur Jaime Montojo Fernandez, who finished one stroke ahead to also qualify for Royal Troon. 

Jamie Rutherford and Branden Grace both couldn't convert their birdie chances to leave Masaveu as the last man standing in the playoff for the last qualifying spot. 

ROSE DELIGHTED TO CONTINUE OPEN 'FAIRYTALE'

Speaking after his second round, Rose said he was happy with his performance and was looking forward to competing at another Open Championship - a "fairytale" that began when he first played in Open final qualifying at the age of 14.

"There was obviously huge motivation," he said. "The Open has been a bit of a fairytale and love story for me since I was 14, to be honest with you.

"The Open has always been super special and you can kind of take it for granted. As you get a little older, things get harder and in a way I think it's a good thing to happen (having to qualify) as it makes you appreciate how special it is."

14 DOWN, TWO TO GO

With Rose and Clemons qualified, two spots remain at Burnham & Berrow.

All eyes are still on Justin Walters, who is the only man who has his fate in his hands. Walters has one hole to go and is tied with three others at -5.

The equation is simple at the last: A birdie to qualify, a par would lead to a four-way playoff, and a bogey or worse would end his hopes. 

Anirban Lahiri, Charlie Lindh and Abraham Ancer are all in the clubhouse at -5.

MCDONALD ON HIS PLAYOFF WIN

Jack McDonald, who secured his spot at The Open after a three-way playoff at Dundonald Links, says he "can't believe" that he will be teeing off at Royal Troon in two weeks' time. 

"I remember playing in the Amateur Championship in 2012 at Royal Troon and I was like, 'how good would it be to play in an Open there?' And I just can’t believe that is going to happen now," he said.

FIVE AMATEURS QUALIFY FOR THE OPEN

Five of the 16 spots at Royal Troon were claimed by amateurs. 

Matthew Dodd-Berry, Jaime Montojo Fernandez, Luis Masaveu, Liam Nolan and Dominic Clemons have all done enough to qualify for The Open in two weeks. 

The story of the day might be Montojo Fernandez and Masaveu, who both grew up playing at Royal Club La Moraleja in Madrid and qualified together at Royal Cinque Ports today. 

SCORE CONFUSION AS WALTERS MISSES PLAYOFF

Justin Walters has missed out on the playoff for the final qualifying spots at Burnham & Berrow, after some confusion around his score. 

Online scores had Walters at -5 as he headed to his final hole of the day, but the South African said he was actually on -4, according to R&A's Final Qualifying Radio. 

Walters - who knew he had to make a birdie at the last - couldn't convert, meaning he will miss the playoff for the two remaining spots by just one stroke. 

It means Anirban Lahiri, Charlie Lindh and Abraham Ancer will battle it out in a three-for-two playoff.

TWO REMAINING SPOTS TO BE DECIDED IN PLAYOFF

With the sun slowly setting at Burnham & Berrow, three players will fight for two qualifying spots to The Open. 

India's Anirban Lahiri, Sweden's Charlie Lindh and Abraham Ancer of Mexico had all finished their second round a while back, but are now back on the course in a three-for-two, sudden-death playoff. 

If they can't finish before it gets too dark, they will have to come back in the morning. 

ANCER AND LINDH MAKE IT TO TROON

And just like that, it's all over. Abraham Ancer and Charlie Lindh have both qualified in the three-for-two playoff, with Anirban Lahiri missing out. 

Ancer was the first to secure his par on the first playoff hole, before Lahiri could only manage a bogey. It meant Lindh had to hole his par putt to make it through, and he made no mistake.

So that confirms the four players to qualify at Burnham & Berrow: Rose, Clemons, Ancer and Lindh.

THE 16 QUALIFIERS CONFIRMED

So that confirms the 16 players who will tee off at Royal Troon in two weeks after 36 holes of final qualifying.

Here are the 16 qualifiers:

• Justin Rose
• Dominic Clemons (a)
• Charlie Lindh
• Abraham Ancer
• Sam Hutsby
• Angel Hidalgo
• Liam Nolan (a)
• Jack McDonald
• Matthew Southgate
• Elvis Smylie
• Jaime Montojo Fernandez (a)
• Luis Masaveu (a)
• Matthew Dodd-Berry (a)
• Sam Horsfield
• Daniel Brown
• Masahiro Kawamura

ROSE: 'I STILL FEEL LIKE I CAN WIN THE OPEN'

Justin Rose admits there could come a day when he will be happy to merely qualify for The Open, but for now, he still believes he can win it. 

Speaking to Sky Sports after he finished in a tie for first at Burnham & Bellow, Rose said: "There's moments where you just want to qualify for The Open, and I'm sure that might come in my career just to be at another Open. 

"But I still feel like I can win The Open. To win it, you've got to be in it. That was key today to come here and get that job done, and give myself the opportunity at that dream."

European stalwarts Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia are just two of a host of big names from the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV Golf lining up in Final Qualifying for next month's 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon.

A minimum of 16 places in The Open will be up for grabs on Tuesday 2 July when players will compete over 36 holes at four Final Qualifying events spread across England and Scotland.

Royal Cinque Ports in Kent, Somerset's Burnham and Berrow, West Lancashire in the north west and Dundonald Links in Scotland will be the four host venues when plenty of big names will be battling to make it to Troon.

Garcia saw his run of 25 straight Open Championship appearances come to an end last year as he finished T6 in Final Qualifying at West Lancashire - but will return to the same venue this year hoping for better fortunes.

The 2017 Masters champion has shown his desire to play in the Majors despite his LIV Golf status limiting his chances of getting in automatically - as he's gone through qualifying to make the last two US Opens.

The 44-year-old will now try again to get back into the Open - where he's had two runners-up finishes, a T2 at 2014 at Hoylake and that famous playoff defeat to Padraig Harrington at Carnoustie in 2007.

Garcia headlines the West Lancashire field along with fellow LIV golf player Marc Leishman, who has also lost an Open playoff, to Zach Johnson at St Andrews in 2015

Several other LIV Golf players are joining Garcia at West Lancashire including Sebastian Munoz, Kieran Vincent, Carlos Ortiz, Jason Kokrak and Sam Horsfield.

Former US Open champion Rose will be teeing it up at Burnham and Berrow in a bid to make his 21st Open Championship appearance.

Rose made his mark on the game at The Open when he famously holed out from 50 yards at Royal Birkdale to finish tied fourth as an amateur in 1998 - a finish he's only managed to better once when finishing T2 in 2018.

Again, Rose will be joined by LIV golfers such as Anirban Lahiri and Abraham Ancer, recent European Open winner Laurie Canter and the world's No.6 ranked amateur Wenyi Ding from China.

Branden Grace, who holds the record for the lowest ever Open round of 62, will attempt to make his 12th appearance as he takes up his Final Qualifying challenge at Royal Cinque Ports.

Grace is joined by former US Open champion Graeme McDowell, Swede Alex Noren and Belgian Thomas Detry - who has shone in the last two Majors finishing T4 and T14.

After his surprising qualification for the US Open, Robert Rock is back and trying to make The Open after coming through Regional Qualifying to make the line-up at Dundonald Links.

Rock has the likes of young Northern Irish star Tom McKibbin, American Peter Uihlein and New Zealander Danny Lee for company in Scotland.

Notable names in Final Qualifying for The Open

Burnham and Berrow

• Anirban Lahiri
• Laurie Canter
• Abraham Ancer
• Justin Rose
• Wenyi Ding
• Justin Harding

Dundonald Links

• Tom McKibbin
• Robert Rock
• Peter Uihlein
• Danny Lee
• Patrick Rodgers

West Lancashire

• Sebastian Munoz
• Kieran Vincent
• Sergio Garcia
• Carlos Ortiz
• Jason Kokrak
• Marc Leishman
• Sam Horsfield

Royal Cinque Ports

• Alex Noren
• Graeme McDowell
• Eugenio Characarra
• Branden Grace
• Thomas Detry

After a nervous wait, it was revealed on Monday that Sergio Garcia had made it into the US Open field, with the Major winner making a 25th straight appearance in golf's toughest test.

On Thursday, and out early at Pinehurst No.2, the LIV Golfer took advantage, as Garcia fired a blemish-free one-under first round, producing 17 pars and a solitary birdie at the par 5 fifth to sit inside the top 10 as the afternoon wave headed out on to the course.

Speaking after his one-under round, Garcia stated: "Well, my prep was quite simple. It was LIV Houston last week, played nicely there, so that obviously -- it's always a positive. Then obviously we knew that we had some chances of getting in here, and then when they told us that we were first alternate for the tournament, obviously they told us that probably at least 90 percent chance of playing, so that was nice, we got a house, arranged everything and got here on Tuesday midday. Played a couple of practice rounds and got ready for today.

"Obviously to shoot under par in a US Open, which is a championship that I love, it's always great. To go bogey-free is even greater. It's something that I give a lot of respect to, and I'm very proud of. I've had the pleasure of playing this championship 25 years in a row, so not a lot of people get to do that, so I'm very, very happy to be here, and that's why I keep trying to qualify and make it here."

The round of 69 is his best at the US Open since the final round at the 2021 Torrey Pines event, where he shot a three-under 68 to finish in a tie for 19th, his best finish since the 2016 US Open at Oakmont.

Throughout US Open history, Garcia has five top 10 finishes, with his best result coming at Pinehurst in 2005, where he claimed a tie for third. Currently, in 2024, the 44-year-old has missed the cut at the Masters in April, but does have two runner-up finishes on the LIV Golf circuit, as well as a fifth place finish at the most recent event in Houston.

"I've always liked it here. I've obviously played in 2005 and 2014. I did very well in 2005," explained Garcia, who added "the course was playing different than it is now. But yeah, I feel like -- I've always liked US Opens because I don't feel like you have to birdie every hole. I don't feel like -- you're making a lot of pars, you're not losing really much ground, other than a couple of venues that we played in the last maybe seven or eight years... You just have to be consistent. It's as simple as that..."

After a nervy wait, Adam Scott managed to squeeze into the US Open field after all - meaning he'll keep his remarkable streak of consecutive Major appearances going.

Sergio Garcia was also left with a nervous wait after missing out on qualifying in a playoff, but he also made the final field to extend his own run of consecutive US Opens to 25.

Robert MacIntyre's place was officially confirmed as part of the final six players being named - with amateur Brendan Valdes, Otto Black and Maxwell Moldovan completing the 156-man field.

Scott agonisingly missed out on qualifying for the US Open at Pinehurst after losing a sudden death playoff against fellow Australian Cam Davis in Ohio, meaning he was in big danger of missing his first Major in 23 years.

However, despite slipping to 61 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) Scott has made the US Open field due to the USGA taking Grayson Murray out of the list after his tragic death.

Although he would have wanted to get in by other less tragic means, Scott is in, and he's already arrived at Pinehurst to prepare for his 92nd consecutive Major appearance.

It's an incredible achievement and keeps Scott on track to join Jack Nicklaus as the only two players ever to play in 100 consecutive men's Major championships.

It's hard to see anybody catching Nicklaus' record of featuring in 146 straight Majors, but Scott can now continue his bid to join the great man in the 100 club - as barring injury he's guaranteed to get another three under his belt.

After Pinehurst, Scott has already qualified to play in The Open at Troon and can play every year at The Masters as a past champion, so he'll get to 94 before he has to then worry about next year's PGA Championship at number 95.

The memorable run began at the 2001 Open at Royal Lytham, won by David Duval, with the last Major played without Scott in the field being the 2001 US Open just a month earlier at Southern Hills.

It's by far the longest active streak and just to show how impressive Scott's run is - the next best current streak is held by Jordan Spieth with just 44 consecutive Major appearances.

But it's becoming harder for Scott to continue this run unless his game improves - as he was so close to missing out on Pinehurst this year.

Scott has only had to go through qualifying once before for a Major, successfully bagging a spot via that route for the 2018 US Open - with the former World No.1 always being high enough up in the OWGR to get in.

Defeat by Davis this year though left the 43-year-old sweating as an alternate but also perched right on the bubble at No.60 in the OWGR.

Not playing at The Memorial meant he could not improve his ranking position, but by only dropping down to 61 that meant that with the USGA sadly having to remove Murray from the field list, Scott was the next man in.

Garcia, meanwhile, was just edged out himself in qualifying, but as a first alternate from his Dallas qualifier he was one of four added in to complete the field once all the exemptions were taken up.

The 44-year-od Spaniard will move to 10th on the all-time list of consecutive US Open appearances with his 25th straight showing at Pinehurst - as he managed to come through qualifying to play in LA last year.

And as a positive omen, Garcia's best US Open finish came at this week's venue Pinehurst No.2 back in 2005.

No sooner has the second Major of the year, the PGA Championship, concluded, that attention is beginning to turn to the third, the US Open at Pinehurst No.2, with final qualifying taking place across three venues on Monday.

Some big names, including LIV golfers Sergio Garcia and Abraham Ancer, are also hoping to earn a spot at next month’s event via that route.

Fireballs GC captain Garcia will be hoping for a repeat of 2023, where he came through final qualifying to reach the US Open for the 24th consecutive year after shooting nine under over 36 holes.

For Ancer, who is also a Fireballs GC player, qualifying wasn’t as big an issue back then as he was still comfortably inside the world’s top 60 needed to earn a spot three weeks before the tournament began, and finished T54. 

Because LIV Golf isn’t able to offer world ranking points, both Garcia and Ancer have dropped significantly in the rankings since then, with Garcia now 731st and Ancer in 273rd, leaving final qualifying as their most realistic route to the tournament.

The pair are playing at Dallas Athletic Club in Texas, where they are hoping to be among 11 qualifiers at the end of what promises to be a gruelling day.

The duo are far from the only big names taking part in final qualifying. Another Fireballs GC player, Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra, is also playing in Dallas, along with fellow LIV golfers Danny Lee, Kevin Na and Caleb Surrat.

Four-time PGA Tour winner Aaron Baddeley, Full Swing star Joel Dahmen and Ryan Moore, who has five PGA Tour wins, play too.

Japan also hosted a qualifier earlier in the day, where another LIV golfer, Scott Vincent, was hoping to claim one of three spots, but fell short. The venue for last year’s AIG Women’s Open, Walton Heath in England, hosted the other qualifier, with Robert Rock and Matteo Manassero among nine to qualify. 

The last batch of final qualifying takes place across 10 venues in the US and Canada on 3 June ahead of the tournament, which begins on 13 June.

Putting is a personal thing and, with so many different types of putters on the market, it can take time to find the correct one... In the case of Sergio Garcia, the Major winner has made yet another change to the flatstick, which we believe is his third putter in three months.

At LIV Golf Mayakoba in February, Garcia was spotted using a brand new putter, specifically the Golfyr Maker, with the 44-year-old then seen using the Scotty Cameron TN3 putter, a model which Garcia has wielded often throughout his incredible career.

Now though, at LIV Golf Adelaide, Garcia has bought out a third model, specifically the recently relaunched 'Never Compromise Reserve NC Contrast Model 4s' from Dunlop Sports. 

First reported by Mike McAllister, LIV Golf's Editorial Director, Garcia is the first player to use a putter from the brand, with the model type only relaunching recently in January 2024.

According to Dunlop Sports: "The Never Compromise experience is built around a unique length-fitting process". Essentially a length-fitting tool is used to determine and help each golfer address the ball with correct setup and posture. From there, the putter length is cut precisely to a quarter inch, with golfers able to choose their specific head shape and finish.

Chuck Thiry, who is the Vice President of XXIO, spoke about the re-release in January 2024, stating: "We’re excited to be able to bring back the Never Compromise line and give golfers the opportunity to get a hand-built, fully custom putter fit entirely for their stroke. Putters are the most used club in the bag, and it’s the one golfers often don’t think to get fit for. With Never Compromise, golfers can simplify their mechanics and produce better results on the greens."

The model that Garcia is using this week, (we are unsure if this is a permanent switch), is the Never Compromise Reserve NC Contrast Putter – Model 4S, which has a winged mallet design and is paired with a slant neck hosel and contrasting alignment system. It is apparently best suited for those with a slight arc stroke and retails for just under $450.

Going into the final round of LIV Golf Adelaide, Garcia sits at level-par for the event and in a tie for 48th position. Although the Spaniard is struggling, he has had a number of good results in 2024, including two runner-up finishes at Mayakoba and Miami. At both those events, Garcia lost in a playoff.

If Anthony Kim is looking for inspiration as he continues his comeback, then his Saturday pairing at LIV Golf Adelaide might just do the trick as he plays alongside old Ryder Cup foe Sergio Garcia.

Kim was at the height of his powers during a stellar appearance in his one and only Ryder Cup at Valhalla in 2008.

The rookie won 2.5 points from his four matches in Kentucky, which included a pulsating 5&4 victory over Garcia in the lead-off match in the Sunday singles.

It was a bold move by Team USA captain Paul Azinger to send Kim out first on Sunday, but he was such a precocious talent that it never really seemed like a risk.

Garcia, who is the record points scorer in Ryder Cup history, just couldn't live with the young American as the Spaniard lost 5&4 and Nick Faldo's Europe went on to suffer a damaging 16.5-11.5 defeat.

They're both on the same team these days in a way, with Kim playing as a wildcard in the LIV Golf League this season alongside Garcia - who is captain of the Fireballs team.

And as Kim continues his comeback from a difficult 12-year hiatus from professional golf, maybe looking back at the video highlights below from his match with Garcia will give him extra motivation.

Kim has recently spoken again about some of his issues he had to deal with during his break from the sport, including multiple surgeries and severe mental health problems.

He said ahead of LIV Gold Adelaide that he "didn't know how much longer I had to live" during one of the darker times.

The three-time PGA Tour winner returned to men's professional golf in February by playing in the LIV Golf League - where he will compete all season as a wildcard.

Kim has opened up on a few occasions about the reasons for his long spell away from golf - notably in an interview with David Feherty - where among other things he described the multiple surgeries he's had on injuries.

The 38-year-old has shown flashes of his former ability but has largely been languishing near the bottom of the standings so far in his return.

Kim was at least under par in his latest round, mixing four birdies with three bogeys to shoot one under in Adelaide - matching the score of Garcia who he will play with alongside Sam Horsfield in the second round on Saturday.

Maybe the two will catch up on old times, although those Ryder Cup memories aren't likely to be top of Garcia's list of conversation topics.

At the 2024 Masters, Sergio Garcia is making his 25th appearance, with the Spaniard having claimed his one and only Major title at Augusta National in 2017.

One of the colorful characters of the game, it was Garcia's first round outfit that caught the eye of patrons on the ground and viewers worldwide, as the 44-year-old combined a yellow pair of pants of with a dark green polo shirt...

Decked out in yellow and green, colors associated with the Masters, Garcia released a video on his social media prior to his tee time, with the Major winner and his wife, Angela, having a joke before making their way to Augusta National.

With such an eye-catching outfit on show, many took to social media to react to it and, it's safe to say, that the golf world was divided by the look, with some loving it and some not so much.

It's no secret that the Masters holds a special place in Garcia's heart. Along with his Major win in 2017, he married Angela not long after the victory, with the couple calling their first child Azalea, which is the name of the par-5 13th hole at Augusta National.

Coming into Masters week, Garcia has showed decent form, with the Spaniard just missing out on the LIV Golf Miami title after losing in a playoff to Dean Burmester. The defeat was his third playoff loss in the LIV Golf League and his second in 2024.

Speaking to the media prior to the Masters main event, Garcia commented on the state of professional golf, claiming that: “I think the game is in a perfect spot. The professional game, maybe it’s a little more separated, mostly because of the media, not so much because of the players. But I think the game itself is in a great spot."

He went on to add: “But the future of the game is those kids that are watching us play, that want to get into the game, that want to play and then maybe become professionals. I think that’s what sometimes people forget.”

In recent months, much of the discussion on the direction of the elite game has focused on how it can come back together, with talks ongoing between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund behind LIV Golf to address the issue.

Several players have also called for the fractures in the game to heal for the good of golf, including Bryson DeChambeau, who last week suggested "too many people are losing interest" in the sport. However, fellow LIV golfer Sergio Garcia doesn’t quite see it that way.

The Fireballs GC will compete in this week’s Masters thanks to his victory at the Major in 2017. The event is one of the few in the calendar where the world’s best from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf come together, but Garcia is unconcerned with the separation, and doesn’t even think the current crop of players are pivotal to the future.

Speaking to the media ahead of the event, he said: “I think the game is in a perfect spot. The professional game, maybe it’s a little more separated, mostly because of the media, not so much because of the players. But I think the game itself is in a great spot.

“I think that we have the most amount of people playing the game, which is great, and people have to realize one thing, that the future of the game isn’t us. We’re not the future of the game. Neither me or Rory, no. We’re not the future. We’re the present of the game.

“But the future of the game is those kids that are watching us play, that want to get into the game, that want to play and then maybe become professionals. I think that’s what sometimes people forget.”

Garcia then conceded that a united game would be beneficial, but that in some respects, the current situation is not dissimilar to other sports such as soccer.

“I mean, obviously the more togetherness that you get, the better it is for everyone. There’s no doubt about that,” he said. “But there’s room for everyone. I don’t think that’s a problem at all. The same way that I love watching Real Madrid and La Liga, you like to watch the premiership and whoever your team is. Everybody can support whoever they have, and there’s plenty of people to support it.”

The 2023 tournament saw LIV golfers compete with their PGA Tour counterparts for the first time since making the switch to the big-money circuit, but any concerns over on-course divisions were quickly put to one side with a largely harmonious tournament, and Garcia doesn’t think it's different this year.

He said: “You guys love these things. You keep building up these things, and there’s nothing. There’s nothing. You guys love to kind of dig and just kind of try to make it sound like we get in the locker room and we’re fighting each other and stuff like that. It’s not like that. At the end of the day, it’s golf. We’re all trying to play the best way we can, and that’s it.”

Garcia gets his challenge for a second Masters title underway at 9.12am local time on Thursday in a group with PGA Tour pros Chris Kirk and Ryan Fox.

In a thrilling final day at LIV Golf Miami, it was Dean Burmester who claimed a first LIV Golf title to inflict more heartbreak on Sergio Garcia, who lost his third consecutive LIV Golf playoff.

Beginning the final day, it was Garcia who led an extremely congested leaderboard, with Talor Gooch, Ryder Cup star Tyrrell Hatton, Matt Wolff and Burmester chasing down the Spaniard.

However, over the final day, the tournament could have gone either way, with six players taking the lead at some point over the final round. In the end, though, it was both Burmester and Garcia who made it into the playoff, as Garcia squandered a chance at the last to win outright.

In the playoff, both men parred the first hole, with the pivotal moment coming at the second playoff hole. Finding the fairway, Garcia pulled his approach shot into the water and, with that, Burmester safely found the green and two putted for the biggest paycheck of his career.

LIV Golf Miami Individual Leaderboard

• -11 BURMESTER (*Won Playoff)
• -11 GARCIA
• -10 WOLFF
• -8 HATTON, RAHM, LEISHMAN
• -7 DECHAMBEAU, OOSTHUIZEN

LIV Golf Miami Team Leaderboard

• -22 LEGION XIII GC
• -21 RANGEGOATS GC,
• -16 STINGER GC, TORQUE GC

Updates From...

Welcome

Welcome to our coverage of the final day's play of LIV Golf Miami. This is the fifth event of the LIV Golf season, and comes a month after the fourth, which was LIV Hong Kong. After this, the next LIV Golf events are in Adelaide and Singapore, in back-to-back weeks (April 26-28 and May 3-5), and then there is another month gap until LIV Golf Houston.

Crushers being squeezed out?

Legion XIII enter the final day three shots ahead in the team competition, on -21, with Range Goats in second on -18. The format for the first two days is that the best three rounds by the four-man team count towards the team score. But on the final day all the third-round scores count. Legion XIII is captained by Jon Rahm and also comprises Tyrrell Hatton, Caleb Surratt and Kieran Vincent. 

Legion XIII won the first event of the season, but the team way out in front of the standings are Crushers, who have won both the past two events. Crushers' other two results were second and fourth. Crushers – Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey, Charles Howell III and Anirban Lahiri – lie 8th at the moment in Miami.

Garcia to break his duck?

Sergio Garcia enters the final round two shots ahead of the field. He has been with LIV since its inception, but has yet to win on it. Last season he only finished inside the top-10 three times, although one of these was a second-placed finish in Singapore. This season he finished second in the season’s opener, but has followed that up with T26, T15 and T38 finishes.

Warm ups and over and all the players are now on the course

This is a bit more complicated than my couple of swishes with a club behind the 1st tee...

Who is playing with whom and how they started out on day three

Wolff goes in to joint second

Wolff birdies the 1st. Meanwhile Sergio Garcia has made par there. He opted to lay up on the par-5 1st, but then came up well short of the pin with his chip.

Burmester becomes joint leader

He has started birdie, birdie, and is on -9 with Garcia.

Garcia regains outright lead

We briefly had a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard with Talor Gooch having joined the leaders on -9. But Sergio rolls in a relatively simple birdie putt to go to -10.

Masters pointers

Part of the subplot to this event is the looming first Major of the season and who is showing form for that. Thirteen of this field will be teeing it up next week at Augusta National. Seven of them have been invited as previous Masters champions and three more for winning another Major in the past five years,

The Masters champions in the field are Jon Rahm (defending champion); Dustin Johnson (2020); Patrick Reed (2018); Sergio Garcia (2017); Bubba Watson (2014 & 2012); Charl Swartzwel (2011) and Phil Mickelson (2010, 2006 & 2004).

Bryson DeChambeau, Cameron Smith and Brooks Koepka have qualified for next week’s Masters as Major champions during the past five years, having won the US Open of 2020, The Open of 2022 and the 2023 PGA Championship respectively. Tyrrell Hatton, Adrian Meronk and Joaquin Niemann complete the LIV representation at Augusta.

How Garcia regained the outright lead

Legion XIII pulling away

Captain Rahm has holed a long-range birdie putt and his team are now six shots clear. This is the first time Rahm has contributed to extending the lead today after four pars previously.

Niemann on a charge

He has birdied three of his five holes and is now three shots behind Garcia.

Four-way tie for second

Louis Oostthuizen cards a birdie and joins the gaggle one-shot behind Garcia.

No sooner than I type that, but it all changes...

We have three joint leaders instead. A Hatton birdie means the Legion XIII player joins Burmester and Garcia on -10. None of this trio have won a LIV Golf event.

Familiar venue, different competitions

The Blue Monster hosted to the Doral Open on the PGA Tour from 1962 to 2006, and then from 2007 up until 2016 it was the venue for the WGC-Cadillac Championship. In the first two seasons of LIV it hosted the end-of-season Team Championship.

Legion XIII have a 76% win probability

Which seems generous as they are only three shots ahead with 4 x 11 holes to go. The computer obviously knows something I don't.

Wolff seizes sole lead

He cards an eagle on the 8th, putting in from the fringe of the green. But Garcia looks set to make a birdie in the next few moments.

Garcia joins Wolff on -11

A simple tap in tapped in for birdie

Hatton makes it a three-way tie at the top again

He has made four birdies in the past six holes.

Legion XIII's win probability...

..is now up to 84%. They are four shots clear.

Hatton takes solo lead

Garcia makes a bogey on the 9th after a bad chip. He has made two birdies and that bogey on front nine. Wollf also drops a shot to finish a front nine involving three birdies, an eagle and two bogeys. So Hatton (four birdies; five pars) is now alone in the lead.

Back to a four-way tie for lead

It's Hatton's turn to drop a shot. So that's him, Burmester, Garcia and Wolff on -10.

Which US state has the most golf courses?

Answer in five minutes.

The answer as to which US state has the most golf courses

Well it’s Florida, (which even if you didn’t actually know you may have guessed as this event is being held in Florida, so why else would we be asking the question.) California has the second most number of golf courses. No-one seems to agree on the exact figure for Florida, but it is well over a thousand courses. Florida offers quality golf as well as quantity.

Gooch joins the leaders on -10

Soon it is going to be easier to say who isn't in the lead.

Gooch has drowned his tee shot on 11

Could we see five become four at the top?

Hatton has a temper tantrum

This is when he realises he is going to miss the fairway on 10. But he has only hit two fairways all day. Yet he leads.

Gooch dos indeed drop a shot

His par putt from distance looks like it is going in. But it stays above ground. Just. Oh so close.

Wolff so close to taking lead

His putt on 11 was even nearer to going in than the Gooch's was. Luck was with neither of these players.

An ever-changing top of leaderboard has one constant

Sergio Garcia has been there ever since his birdie on the final hole of the first round. Since then he has either been in the sole lead or in the co-lead.

Bumerster into solo lead

Louis Oosthuizen had just made it a five-way tie at the top, but then Dean Burmester made it one at the top.

Caddie changes

Jon Rahm's caddie was taken ill before today’s round, so Rahm has a friend on his bag. Tyrrell Hatton’s caddy is also unwell, and so Hatton’s agent has stepped in to caddy for him. He is getting to hear a lot of swear words from his player during the course of the round. Five swear words in the last four short sentences, for example, as Hatton expressed his displeasure at missing yet another fairway.

Louis Oosthuizen joins Burmester in lead

Two South Africans... two members of Stinger GC... two in the lead... Stinger GC go second

Oosthuizen in trouble

He finds a greenside bunker in the par-3 15th and his escape from it rolls across the elevated green and down a slope towards water. But it holds up so stays dry. But he has this chip from the sloping rough to remain in the lead. 

A happier moment for Oosthuizen

Burmester has solo lead

Teammate Louis makes and up-and-down for a bogey, and Dean chases his birdie putt further past the hole than expected, but holes his par putt nevertheless. A one-shot lead.

Equipment changes

Many of the players this week have made changes to their equipment, as my eagle-eyed colleague Matt Cradock has noted.

Helping hand

Birdie putt on 15 gives Garcia share of lead again

Just before he played his shot the win probability gave Burmester at 51% and Garcia on 17%. They are now tied on -11. Louis Oosthuizen has just joined them on that figure, A three-way tie for the lead.

Burmester back in solo lead

Expect that win probability to change again. It had him and Garcia both on 39% before Burmester's last shot.

Oosthuizen hit his third shot on the par-4 17th into the water

Coming out of the sand, his ball flew over the green to a watery grave. That looks to have sunk the South African's victory chances.

Triple bogey for Oosthuizen on 17

That is him out of contention for the win, and also his team, Stinger GC, who drop into third place, seven shots off Legion XIII.

A glove for the help[omg hand

Garcia back in co-lead

He drains a 40ft birdie putt on 17. Plus Burmester is in trouble on 18... Could Garcia snatch this back for a debut LIV win?

Burmester's par put on 18...

..comes up way short.

Legion XIII are one shot ahead

At one stage that win probability computer had them at 96%. Can computer's sweat?

Burmester finishes on -11

His bogey on 18 means that Sergio Garcia will win if the Spaniard pars the final hole.

Garcia finds fairway on 18

He has 193 yards to the pin.

Sergio finds the green

But it a long way from the flag: this is not a simple two-putt coming up.

Garcia has played his birdie putt...

...and he still has a fair bit of work to do. Tense.

Garcia putts and....

....misses.

We have a playoff!

Between Burmester and Garcia. Sergio Garcia has been in two LIV playoffs and not won either of them. Third time lucky?

Legion XIII scrape home

They were nine shots ahead at one stage and end up winning by a single shot. But a win's a win.

Halved In Pars

Both Garcia and Burmester par the 18th and will head back up the final hole for a second playoff hole

SERGIO FINDS THE WATER

Both players hit great drives down the 18th, but it's Garcia who blinks first as he pulls his approach left and into the penalty area! Burmester has the advantage and his approach safely finds the green. Garcia is forced to drop well back on the last.

BURMESTER WINS LIV GOLF MIAMI

Garcia makes a superb up-and-down after taking a drop but, in the end, it's not enough, as the South African rolls in a three-footer for his first LIV Golf title! It's heartbreak for Garcia, who loses his third LIV Golf playoff in dramatic circumstances

THE WINNING MOMENT

LIV Golf's Sergio Garcia has fired a confident warning to the majority of The Masters field ahead of next week's tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.

As a result of Joaquin Niemann's committee invite along with two DP World Tour players, 13 LIV Golf League members will be heading to Georgia in a bid to etch their respective names into the sport's history books.

Seven of the 54-hole circuit's crop have won The Masters at least once before - Jon Rahm, Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Charl Schwartzel, Patrick Reed, and Garcia - while Cameron Smith and Brooks Koepka have been in contention come Sunday in recent years before falling agonisingly short.

With a stacked stable of players hoping to increase those numbers in 2024, Garcia shared an image of all 13 members - which also included Bryson DeChambeau, Adrian Meronk, and Tyrrell Hatton - teeing it up at both LIV Golf Miami this week and The Masters in the subsequent days along with the caption "We’re coming for that green jacket @TheMasters."

The 2017 Masters champion is not the only LIV golfer who is feeling bullish about the PIF-backed circuit's chances this year, with Koepka and Rahm also sharing their optimism in pre-LIV Miami press conferences.

Koepka said: “Obviously, chances are pretty good. There’s a lot of good players. I don’t know how many guys are in the field. Usually about 90, right? Usually about 90. So you know, probably got, what, 15 percent.

“When you start breaking all the numbers down, no amateurs, no first-time winner, I don’t know, probably goes to what, 70?

“Yeah, I like the chances. A lot of guys playing well. Joaco playing well this year, and I watched Bryson last year. And I believe, what was it, Singapore, Thailand, we played together and I started to watch what’s come for the last, I don’t know, eight months, I guess about eight months now.

"Kind of watched that progress go, so that’s been cool. I can see him starting around the corner. And then, I don’t know, started playing good till March - this is kind of my time.”

Meanwhile, current Masters champion, Rahm argued that the sheer quality of players coming over from LIV - as well as the quantity in the field - give LIV's chances of hosting a winner a helpful boost.

He said: “There is quite a few major champions in LIV and there is a few that are major-champion-quality golfers. So just pure numbers, if you go with math, wouldn’t be the highest, but I’m confident that one of us can get it done this year.”

The Masters begins on Thursday, April 11 with Golf Monthly covering all of the key events throughout the week.

After missing out in Rome, Sergio Garcia just wants to have the chance to compete for a Ryder Cup place again, as he hopes a decision on LIV golfers being allowed back into the European fold "in the near future".

Garcia, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Henrik Stenson were not available for selection for victorious captain Luke Donald in Rome in any capacity after resigning from the DP World Tour, following fines being issued for playing in LIV Golf.

The 44-year-old has voiced his intention to pay back those fines and re-join the DP World Tour - even though it could reportedly cost him up to $1m - but he's said to have missed the deadline for 2024 membership.

Garcia has always spoken of his desire to get back into the Ryder Cup in some form, and he now hopes that talks between the PGA Tour and Saudi PIF could lead to a softening in the DP World Tour stance on LIV Golf players and Team Europe.

Garcia spoke to Golfweek at a fundraising event in Austin, Texas, where he talked about his nostalgia for the Ryder Cup and his hope of a verdict on his eligibility coming soon.

“I look at it two ways. If I’m not able to play anymore it’ll be a little bit sad,” Garcia told Golfweek.

“But at the same time, I look at it that I’ve played many, many times. I’ve been successful in it both individually and as a team. So that’s what I take from it.

“Hopefully, things will kind of settle and, you know, we’ll see where everything sits at the end. 

"And hopefully, they just give us the possibility - all of us - to be a part of it again if we’re playing well enough. We’ll see where that settles in the near future.”

The Spaniard was the youngest ever Ryder Cup participant aged just 19 and went on to become a stalwart for Europe and the competition's top all-time points scorer.

A winner in six of his 10 Ryder Cups, Garcia collected 28.5 points with a 25-13-7 record in 45 matches for Europe - but was among the big names missing last year as Luke Donald's side regained the trophy in Rome.

The former Masters champion may not be able to play well enough to qualify for the Ryder Cup anymore, but even if he isn't, should he be eligible he'd surely be on Donald's shortlist for a backroom spot.

Bethpage Black will offer a unique challenge, arguably one of the toughest Ryder Cup road trip either side could ever face given the vociferous fans in the New York area.

Having the likes of Garcia with all his experience to lean on, either on or off the course, would be seen as a boost for many of the players, especially if the likes of Jon Rahm are allowed to play as expected.

Sergio Garcia is one of his era's greatest golfers, with the Spaniard winning more than 35 tournaments around the world including his one and only Major at the 2017 Masters.

The Spaniard is the Ryder Cup's record points scorer and now plays in the LIV Golf League, where he is captain of the Fireballs team.

Get to know Sergio Garcia better with these facts...

Sergio Garcia facts:

1. He was born in Borriol, Spain, near Castellon de la Plana which is just north of Valencia.

2. He used to occasionally turn out for Borriol FC, his hometown club, where he was formerly club president.

3. His father, Victor, a club pro, began teaching him the game at the age of 3 at the local Club de Campo del Mediterraneo.

4. He won his club championship at the age of 12.

5. He was low amateur at the 1999 Masters, and is just the fifth Masters low amateur to go on to win the Green Jacket (Jack Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods are the others).

6. Garcia is a huge Real Madrid fan.

7. He previously resided in Crans Montana, Switzerland - where the Omega European Masters is played at Crans-Sur-Sierre Golf Club - but now lives in Texas.

8. Garcia has made 10 Ryder Cup appearances and became the match's all-time point scorer in 2018 after reaching 25.5 points, overtaking Nick Faldo. He added three more points at the 2021 Cup. 

9. Prior to winning The Masters, he had 22 top 10 finishes in Majors without tasting success. His Green Jacket win came in his 74th Major start.

10. In July 2017 he got married to Angela Akins, a Texan journalist who worked for the Golf Channel. She reportedly plays off 3. They have two children together called Azalea and Enzo.

11. He was just the third Spaniard to win a Major after Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal. They were joined by Jon Rahm in 2021.

12. He once said he is not good enough to win a Major. At the 2012 Masters, after a third round of 75 he told the Spanish media: "I'm not good enough. I don't have the thing I need to have. In 13 years, I've come to the conclusion that I need to play for second or third place."

13. As well as golf and football, he is a keen poker player, having competed in PokerStars tournaments. In 2012 he won $35,000 in a tournament.

14. He is a keen tennis player and is good friends with 20-time grand slam champion Rafael Nadal. He also plays a lot of tennis and golf with former tennis player Andy Roddick in Texas.

15. He is the third-youngest player to make the cut in a European Tour event at 15 years and 46 days. That was at the 1995 Turespana Open Mediterrania.

16. He won the Amateur Championship in 1998 at Muirfield, where he beat Wales' Craig Williams in the final. He also reached the US Amateur semi final in 1998.

17. He is the youngest player to have played in a Ryder Cup, having made his debut at Brookline in 1999 at the age of 19 years, 258 days.

18. At the age of 20 years, 7 days, he became the youngest golfer to reach the top-10 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

19. He has spent 18 weeks as No.2 in the Official World Golf Ranking without ever reaching the top spot.

20. Garcia was sponsored by adidas for over 20 years before they parted ways in 2023.

21. He joined LIV Golf in June 2022 and has played in every LIV Golf event. He captains the Fireballs GC team.

22. He and former Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy were previously close friends, with McIlroy being a groomsman at Sergio's wedding. They had a high-profile falling out following the inception of LIV Golf but have been on speaking terms since.

23. He has a Corgi called Spain.

24. He is third in the DP World Tour's career earnings with €30.1m.

25. He qualified for every Major from the 1999 US Open until the 2023 PGA Championship, which he failed to meet the entry requirements for. He also missed the Open Championship for the first time in 25 years in 2023.

26. He has won 13 playoffs in his career.

27. He is currently designing his first golf course at Terras da Comporta in Portugal. The club already has one layout, with Garcia's Torre Course set to open in 2025.

28. He plays at Spanish Oaks Golf Club in Austin, Texas.

Sergio Garcia LIV fee

Sergio Garcia joined LIV Golf in 2022 but his contract fee was not revealed. It was speculated he signed for around $35m-$40m according to media reports.

Sergio Garcia career earnings

The Spaniard is third in the DP World Tour's career money list with €30.1m. On the PGA Tour, he has earnings of $54.6m.

He had his best season in the LIV Golf League in 2024, finishing 3rd in the individual standings and taking home $13.6m. He won around $6.5m in 2023 and $6.1m in 2022, meaning he has earned around $26m in three seasons.

How far does Sergio Garcia drive the ball?

Garcia is regarded as one of the greatest ball strikers of his era. In terms of driving distance, he is considered a long hitter. In his last full season on the PGA Tour he averaged 309.4 yards to rank 10th. In the 2024 LIV Golf League season he averaged 306 yards to rank 22nd.

Sergio Garcia Masters win

Sergio Garcia sealed his maiden Major win in his 74th Major start at the 2017 Masters. It was an enthralling final round where he and fellow Ryder Cup teammate Justin Rose went toe-to-toe.

In the end, the pair tied at nine-under-par before Garcia won with a birdie on the first playoff hole.

He became the third Spaniard after Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal to win the Green Jacket. Jon Rahm became the fourth in 2023.

Sergio Garcia was the star attraction at West Lancs in Final Qualifying but wasn't able to claim one on the five spots up for grabs to miss out on The Open for the first time since 1997.

The Spaniard, who finished 2nd to Padraig Harrington in 2007 at Carnoustie, shot a 36-hole total of six-under par to come up three shy of the qualification spots. The LIV Golfer shot rounds of 67 and 71 to miss out, with his fellow LIV player and Ryder Cupper Graeme McDowell also not advancing at four-under.

Garcia was five-under after 18 holes and primed to qualify but he was overtaken in the afternoon with his one-under 71.

The five spots went to Matt Wallace (-11), Matthew Jordan (-10), Kyle Barker (-10), Alex Fitzpatrick (-9) and amateur Tiger Christensen (-9).

Garcia has played in every Open since 1998 but will be watching on from the sidelines this year.

"Obviously I'm a little disappointed right now, but that's the game of golf, you know," Garcia told Sky Sports. You can't take things for granted. I'm very thankful that I've been able to play, I think it's 26, or 27 Open Championships. That's not an easy task to achieve and you know, it shows so, you know, I wanted to to keep that run going but unfortunately I couldn't do it today.

"I love I love the game of golf. I love playing, I love competing, I love playing Majors. It doesn't matter if you play them well or not but just to be a part of them it's always a treat and I've been very fortunate to play many, many Majors throughout my career so you know that's something that you have to give it the importance that it has."

It's the second time in less than a month that he has attempted to qualify for a Major, after making it through qualifying in Texas last month to play in his 24th consecutive US Open.

The 2017 Masters champion did miss the PGA Championship this year, though, meaning he will have played in fewer than three Majors for the first time since 1998.

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He has ten top-10s in The Open, most notably when his putt to win in 2007 lipped out and he lost to Padraig Harrington in a playoff at Carnoustie. He was also T5th at Royal Liverpool in 2006 and T2nd again at Hoylake in 2014, when Rory McIlroy won the Claret Jug.

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 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.

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 competition, the fact that the bosses listen to the players more is also a huge plus.

In another dig at McIlroy and Tiger Woods, he claims that the PGA Tour was not very good at listening to other players apart from the big two.

“We had so much criticism when we started off last June that it unified us all together and that included with the bosses,” Garcia added.

“You can suggest things, ideas, and although they are not always followed up and acted upon, you are listened to. That didn’t happen on the PGA Tour. There are only two, maybe three players who the bosses listen to on that Tour.”

Rory McIlroy has closed the door on rekindling his relationship with former friend and Ryder Cup teammate Sergio Garcia.

McIlroy was asked if there was hope for mending bridges with the Spaniard, whom McIlroy was a groomsman for at his wedding, and simply replied with "no" and confirmed there was "no way" the pair would rekindle.

Golf Monthly understood that there was a "complete deterioration" in the Ryder Cup partners' friendship last year due to LIV, with McIlroy last month revealing that the pair had a text exchange during the US Open. 

McIlroy said: “He was basically telling me to shut up about LIV, blah blah blah. I was pretty offended and sent him back a couple of daggers, and that was it.”

Golf's civil war has moved away from the course and into the court rooms, with McIlroy revealing that he "got a subpoena on Christmas Eve", which would have only further distanced himself from the LIV players.

The PGA Tour failed to get LIV's antitrust lawsuit thrown out in November, and McIlroy and also Davis Love III, named as “alleged conspirators” by Attorney Larry Klayman’s ‘Freedom Watch’ organisation, were set to be deposed over the alleged collusion on January 11 and 17.

With the LIV vs PGA Tour battle turning to the courts, it seems friendships are in tatters and it could see the likes of Garcia, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and other European LIV golfers frozen out of the Ryder Cup - even if they're allowed to qualify following next month's arbitration panel hearing at Sports Resolutions in London.

“I have said it once, I've said it a hundred times, I don't think any of those guys should be on the Ryder Cup team," McIlroy said of the LIV golfers at September's Italian Open, which took place at the 2023 Ryder Cup venue Marco Simone Golf and Country Club.

"I think we were in need of a rebuild, anyway. We did well with the same guys for a very long time but again as I just said, everything comes to an end at some point. I think Whistling Straits is a good sort of demarcation, I guess."

Garcia, who can still be picked for Team Europe, last month said that some Europeans have shown "very little class."

“Because if there are three or four who if I'm there will be looking at me badly and do not want me there ... What do I bring to the team?,” Garcia told Spanish outlet Marca.

"I really want to be there to be me, to be the Sergio who plays the Ryder, who loves and who puts an arm over everyone's shoulder to help.

“And if then you have people there who because you have decided to go to another Tour you are no longer their friend, you are the bad one, you are the one such or that, that has disappointed me and has taught me that really those people who thought they were friends of mine are not.

“Jon [Rahm] is not one of them, but there are others who have shown very little class."

Garcia's fellow Ryder Cup legend Ian Poulter also hinted that he could snub the Ryder Cup this year even if he was able to qualify, hinting at broken down relationships.

“I would love to qualify. Whether I play or not would be a different thing," he said at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

"I certainly don’t expect to get one of the six picks. Not in any way, shape or form. Which is also a shame. What does that tell you? What is the story there?”

While Team Europe may look in crisis, the side has been boosted by the Hero Cup, which featured a number of younger players and potential rookies including the likes of Victor Perez, Robert MacIntyre, Guido Migliozzi, Sepp Straka and Nicolai Hojgaard.

McIlroy hinted at the team needing fresh blood in September, and it seems that is the way Luke Donald and the DP World Tour will go.

"When I think about the guys that have went from the Tour, especially this Tour, their best days are behind them - and I think they would concede that as well - so we have to think about the future of the European team," he said. "We’ve got a group of seven players, a core seven I think, and we need to fill that extra five with young, ambitious players."

Sergio Garcia has insisted he made the right move in joining LIV Golf even if it means staying away from the Ryder Cup he loves so much, to give Europe the best chance of winning.

Garcia has also revealed that the overwhelming feeling of not being wanted prompted him to leave the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, which signalled the beginning of the end for him in Ryder Cup terms.

The Ryder Cup all-time record points scorer is now out of contention for a place in the side at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome next year, and unless something drastic happens in the next few years he’s unlikely to ever be part of the event again.

He’s now captain of the Fireballs for LIV Golf’s season-ending Team Championship in Miami, and believes he’s made the right decision both to join the Saudi-backed outfit and then also stay away from the Ryder Cup.

“I can only speak for myself, but I've definitely made the right decision. I feel like I'm where I want to be,” Garcia said of his switch to LIV Golf.

“Obviously I knew some of the things that might happen if I joined here, but at the end of the day, as we're seeing, you can see that some of the guys on the other side don't really want me there.

“I don't want to be a burden to anyone and even less in a Ryder Cup. I'd rather be away from that as much as it hurts and make sure that Europe has the best chance of winning than me being there and three or four guys that are going to be there are going to be upset or something.

“I think the Ryder Cup is bigger than any of us or me for that matter, even with my record, and I'm happy to be able to be here and enjoying my time with my three partners and trying to build something that is very exciting and that we're extremely proud of.”

It was the mid-tournament exit from Wentworth that angered many, but Garcia said that he left because he was not wanted, and that fact was made clear.

"It's quite simple,” he told the Times. “I didn't enjoy the way we were getting treated, not only myself, and for me mentally it was tough to be there and focus after giving more than half my life to the Tour.

"I was playing great and excited to get there and get some Ryder Cup points and everything, but already on Thursday morning after Pelley's and Horschel's press conferences, I wasn't right. I felt like there was really not much for me to do there; I couldn't concentrate."

Garcia also revealed that he’s got a torn meniscus in his knee that will require surgery next month, but will still be able to play in Miami this weekend.

“I had an MRI last week, and unfortunately I have a torn meniscus, but I can play through it. That's the good thing.

“After our charity event in Austin beginning of November, then I'll get it cleaned up and we'll be ready to go for the beginning of the season.”

Justin Rose & Sergio Garcia react to missing out in Dubai - both men came close but ultimately missed out on winning the Race To Dubai

Justin Rose & Sergio Garcia react to missing out in Dubai - both men came close but ultimately missed out on winning the Race To Dubai