Sergio Garcia has been fined by the DP World Tour for failing to provide a medical explanation for his BMW PGA Championship withdrawal in September, a Tour spokesperson told Golf Digest.
The Spaniard withdrew from the flagship event at Wentworth after an opening round 76 before jetting to Austin, Texas to attend an NCAA football game with his wife and recently-crowned PGA Tour player of the year Scottie Scheffler.
The former Masters champion has failed to provide "medical evidence deemed reasonable" as required by the DP World Tour's General Regulations Handbook and therefore issued a financial penalty. It is Tour policy not to disclose the monetary amount.
- Amazon Prime Day Early Access Sale Golf Deals
Garcia's latest misdemeanour caps off what has been a turbulent year for the Spaniard. After months of speculation, his switch to the Greg Norman-fronted LIV Golf Series was finalised ahead of the inaugural event at Centurion Club in June.
Weeks prior, the former Masters champion gave an indication on his impending decision at the Wells Fargo Championship when he declared that he couldn’t “wait to leave this Tour” after an incident with a rules official before he resigned from the PGA Tour. Less than a month later, he declared that "this tour [DP World Tour] is s***, you're all f****d" in a reported locker room incident at the BMW International Open in Munich.
His actions have been met with criticism from his peers, with DP World Tour pro Robert MacIntyre claiming it's "amazing how fast you can lose respect for someone that you’ve looked up to all your life." In a Golf Monthly exclusive, it was revealed that the relationship between the Spaniard and Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy has completely broken down after the former's decision to join the Saudi-backed circuit, with one source claiming it has "turned personal."
It would now seem that Garcia, who is Europe's all-time leading points scorer in the Ryder Cup, is set to be exiled from the tournament ahead of the 2023 edition at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club in Rome. He has missed the deadline to enter next week's Mallorca Open and as a result, falls short of the minimum number of events he is required to have played in order to retain his DP World Tour membership.
The 16-time DP World Tour winner holds honorary life member status and it is believed he can still play in events he is exempt for prior to the court review next year. That said, any points would not count toward the DP World Tour or Ryder Cup rankings.
Garcia is set to tee it up in LIV Golf's seventh event at Jeddah ahead of the $50m knockout Team Championship finale at Trump National Doral Golf Club in Miami.
-
Bryson DeChambeau Confirms Long-Term Partnership With ReebokThe two-time Major winner and his LIV Golf side, Crushers GC, will wear Reebok apparel and footwear, with the brand returning to the golf sector
-
Golf Rules Quiz! Damaged Balls, Staked Trees And Out of BoundsSee how you get on in this multiple-choice Golf Rules quiz. We test your knowledge on a variety of scenarios that you might encounter on the golf course
-
'It Was Really About Us Taking This Into Our Own Hands' - McIlroy On How PGA Tour-LIV Golf Showdown Came To FruitionRory McIlroy says the players organized the PGA Tour-LIV Golf Showdown match themselves to show fans they're trying to bring the sport back together
-
‘To Say That McIlroy’s Season Was Not A Success Is Wide Of The Mark’To say it's been a dramatic 2024 for Rory McIlroy is a bit of an understatement, with the four-time Major winner going through multiple highs and lows this year
-
From 'Unfinished Business' To A Favourite Course - Why Rory McIlroy Fancies His Major Chances In 2025Rory McIlroy is confident he can finally end his Major drought in 2025, with a couple of venues giving him extra hope of adding a fifth to his name
-
Rory McIlroy Details 'The Ones I've Let Get Away' & Life In The Limelight In New DocumentaryRory McIlroy opens up about his big near miss at the US Open and just what it's like being in the spotlight in a new TV documentary
-
PGA Tour Reveals Player Of The Year And Rookie Of The Year NominationsOverall, seven players are in line for either the Jack Nicklaus Award or the Arnold Palmer Award, with the winners due to be revealed by the end of the year
-
Rory McIlroy Posts Heartfelt Message To 'Hero' And 'Inspiration' Rafa Nadal Following Tennis Icon's RetirementThe Spanish tennis player has left the game after 22 Grand Slam victories - and four-time Major winner McIlroy joined in with the messages of congratulations
-
Rory McIlroy Proves Fierce Loyalty To Caddie With Heartfelt Message In Race To Dubai Victory SpeechAddressing Harry Diamond after winning the Race To Dubai, McIlroy thanked his best friend and called any stick he had received this year "unwarranted"
-
Tearful Rory McIlroy Reacts To Seve Ballesteros Comparisons After Equalling Spaniard's Order Of Merit RecordIn a highly-emotional interview immediately after holing the winning putt at the DP World Tour Championship, McIlroy was asked about equalling Severiano Ballesteros' European Tour Order of Merit record
