After being over-looked by Luke Donald for a 2025 Ryder Cup cap it was always going to be difficult for Sergio Garcia to then be asked to pack his bags and head to Ireland to tee-up in this week’s Irish Open.
The Irish Open will be always special to Garcia as his July 1999 triumph was a first of 37 wins as a professional but those memories first ignited 26-years ago are currently on hold.
The now LIV Golf attached Garcia did everthing to put himself legally in position to be considerd for selection in Donald’s defending European Team heading to Bethpage Park Black later this month however the now the 45-year-old’s game wasn’t up to it, finishing ninth in LIV’s individual standings and with his only win victory in March in the LIV Hong Kong event.
Donald extended Garcia, and a 10-time European Ryder Cup European Team veteran, the courtesy of phoning him to advise of his decision before publically announcing his six ‘wildcard’ picks, including Shane Lowry who is again contesting his national open.
THE CALL FROM LUKE @LukeDonald WAS FINE ….
Declares @TheSergioGarcia but then expected to contest @IrishOpen_ after being overlooked for @RyderCupEurope selection would be tough
Read: https://t.co/3sdg9kNz2D
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✅@TOURMISS pic.twitter.com/UTmszmTuTl
— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) September 3, 2025
“The call with Luke was fine but not the call I wanted, obviously, but the conversation was fine”, said Garcia speaking to the media. Now, the only thing I can do is support the team from home.
“It’s as simple as that. I’ll be watching and cheering on the European team.”
No other golfer in history has won more Ryder Cup matches that Garcia, who has triumphed on 25 occasions after making his debut in 1999 at the Battle of Brookline.
Three of those victories came at Whistling Straits in 2021, which saw him go past Nick Faldo as the most capped European.
Commenting on why he will no longer be competing at the Irish Open, Garcia stated: “I felt like I was so looking forward to being a part of that team.
“And so I felt like mentally, it was kind of tough.
“I didn’t want to go there and not be fully engaged in the tournament and stuff.
“So I just decided to take a little bit of time off and spend it with the family and do a couple of things outside of golf and just kind of reboot a little bit, recharge the batteries.”
Of course, it made Garcia’s decision also not to contest the Irish Open easiser as Donald is also in the field.
