“I feel like I'm where I want to be” - LIV Golf rebel Sergio Garcia reacts to 2023 Ryder Cup team exile

Sergio Garcia joined his former European teammates when he became part of LIV Golf. As a result, the golfer’s Ryder Cup career has almost come to an end. However, he seems to have found peace with it.

LIV Golf completed its inaugural season with the Team Championship event at Trump National Doral in Miami over the weekend. Garcia seemed happy to be part of the event and expressed this during the press conference.

However, his joy at joining the rebel series was put to the test when he was asked about the possibility of him missing the Ryder Cup. The golfer replied by stating that he made the “right decision” by defecting to the Saudi-backed series.

“I can only speak for myself, but I’ve definitely made the right decision. I feel like I’m where I want to be,” said Garcia.

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Sergio Garcia is comfortable missing Ryder Cup for LIV Golf

With under 12 months to go for next year’s Ryder Cup, every LIV golfer is being asked their stand on the situation. Sergio Garcia was at a press conference at Trump National Doral in Miami when he was asked about the event. Addressing that the international event was something he would miss due to his move to LIV, Garcia said that he was fine with it and believed he had made the right decision.

The golfer said that he foresaw the situation while making the move to the rebel series and made peace with it.

He added:

“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.”

Sergio Garcia’s comments come after PGA Tour and DP World Tour players came out to slam LIV golfers over their defections. Players, including Garcia’s former European teammate Rory McIlroy, came forward to state that they didn’t want the rebel players on the field at such events. Shane Lowry was another player who came out to state that the LIV golfers’ “Ryder Cup days are over.”

However, Garcia, who holds a career record of 25–13–7 at the Ryder Cup, seems comfortable with the sting of not being part of the event.

He added:

“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 is pertinent to note that Garcia will need to maintain DP World Tour membership and play a minimum of four events this season to be a part of the Ryder Cup team. This seems impossible with the current situation.