Sergio Garcia has withdrawn from this week's Irish Open at The K Club, citing his disappointment at missing out on a spot in Luke Donald's European Ryder Cup team. The LIV Golf player told GolfMagic that he wasn't in the right frame of mind to compete after the Ryder Cup team announcement.
Garcia, 45, had returned to the DP World Tour this season with the hopes of securing a place on the European team for the Ryder Cup in New York from September 26-28. He last played for Europe at Whistling Straits in 2021, contributing 3 points out of a possible 4. Despite Europe's crushing 19-9 defeat, Garcia was the team's second-highest points scorer.
The record Ryder Cup points scorer (28.5) aimed to join Sir Nick Faldo and Lee Westwood in making a record 11 appearances on the European Ryder Cup team. However, Luke Donald opted for Jon Rahm, Shane Lowry, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg, Sepp Straka, and Matt Fitzpatrick instead.
These six players join automatic qualifiers Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre, Tyrrell Hatton, and Rasmus Hojgaard on Donald's 2025 Ryder Cup team. This is essentially the same winning team as 2023, with Rasmus replacing his twin Nicolai.
Donald had previously indicated that Garcia would likely miss out on the team. While Garcia won his second career LIV Golf title in Hong Kong in March, his performances at the Majors were inconsistent, with a missed cut at The Masters, a T67 finish at the PGA Championship, and a T34 at The Open Championship.
Donald suggested that Garcia needed to perform well at LIV Golf's season-ending Team Championship to have a chance of being selected. However, Garcia's Fireballs GC finished eighth, sealing his fate and excluding him from the Ryder Cup team.
What's Next for Garcia?
With the Ryder Cup dream dashed, Garcia now focuses on his LIV Golf commitments. His withdrawal from the Irish Open highlights the emotional toll of missing out on the prestigious team event. It remains to be seen what his future plans are on the DP World Tour and in the world of professional golf.