Masters champion Sergio Garcia said Thursday that he is officially returning to the DP World Tour and added that he is open to rejoining the PGA Tour in the future.
Garcia, 46, was among the first group of notable professionals to leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in 2022, but amid LIV’s recent bankruptcy Garcia had successfully petitioned a judge to terminate his LIV contract.
“Next season I will be playing on the DP World Tour,” Garcia wrote in a social media post. “This tour has been a big part of my career since the beginning, and I’m proud to call it home again. I’m still keeping my options open for a return to the PGA Tour.”
While the 2017 Masters champion had previously resigned from the DP World Tour, he requested reinstatement in November 2024 and also paid a fine. He had to serve a suspension before returning to the PGA Tour.
There is, of course, irony in Garcia’s post Thursday, which was not lost on social media commenters. Pro Eddie Pepperell too he tweeted: “This must be Sergio trolling us?”
In Garcia’s last PGA Tour, before leaving for LIV Golf, he argued with a rules official about the allocation of time for a loose ball at the 2022 Wells Fargo Championship and was caught on camera saying things like “I can’t wait to leave this Tour”, “I can’t wait to get out of here” and “Just a couple more weeks until I don’t have to deal with you anymore”. (The PGA Tour later said the umpire had mistimed Garcia’s search.)
A month later, at the BMW International of the DP World Tour, The Telegraph reported another Garcia rant after LIV players were banned from the Scottish Open and fined for competing in conflicting events. An anonymous player said The Telegraph:” Sergio flew off the handle, yelling, “This tour is s—, you’re all f—–, I should get the Saudi money. The player added that Bob MacIntyre was a witness and was “disgusted”, and while MacIntyre declined to comment The Telegraphhe tweeted during the week of the tournament: “Excellent how fast you can lose respect for someone you’ve looked up to all your life.”
Garcia won twice while at LIV Golf and captained the Fireballs GC team. He is just one of a handful of notable names – along with Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Ian Poulter, Louis Oosthuizen and David Puig – who recently announced that they will not join LIV 2.0, which plans 10 events next year, but is currently working on Chapter 11 bankruptcy and trying to secure DP players after the departure for DPs. World tour announced LIV players will also no longer be able to compete on the DP World Tour, making them ineligible for the Ryder Cup.
Garcia hasn’t finished in the top 10 at a major in nine years – since his 2017 green jacket – but made headlines at last year’s Masters after damaging a tee box and hitting his driver. He was issued a code of conduct warning and apologized a couple of days later. He reported the incident in Thursday’s announcement, saying he was eager to get back to the Masters and that he “left Augusta last year disappointed in myself and my actions, and I’m ready to show what I’ve learned and where I’m at mentally.”
Another part of Garcia’s announcement Thursday read: “probably the most exciting part for me is strengthening personal relationships, both new and old.”
He added that making the European Ryder Cup team is among his goals for 2027.
“Let’s get to work,” he finished the statement.
