Still Hoping to Make European Ryder Cup Team, Sergio Garcia Talks With Luke Donald

Even though the 45-year-old Spaniard is 174th on the European points list while playing LIV Golf, he is making sure that playing in the biennial matches for a record 11th time is a possibility.

All-time European points leader Sergio Garcia still hopes to play in this year's Ryder Cup. / Orlando Ramirez-Imagn Images

Will Sergio Garcia be on the European Ryder Cup team? 

Even though the 45-year-old Spaniard is 174th on the European points list while playing LIV Golf, he is making sure that playing in the biennial matches for a record 11th time is a possibility. 

“I had a good conversation with [Captain Luke Donald] last week,” Garcia said Wednesday at LIV Andalucía, “and we both know what we want. The only thing I can do is keep working hard, keep building my confidence up, and if I’m able to do that, then it should be fine. We'll see.”

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Garcia, and anyone on the European squad, must be a DP World Tour member to play in the Ryder Cup.  Garcia was suspended and fined by the European circuit when he defected to LIV. Late last year, however, he reapplied for membership and paid any outstanding fines. 

He confirmed that on Wednesday. 

“I'll just pay whatever I have to pay,” Garcia said. “It is what it is. It’s not something that I’m focused on. I’m focused on playing golf.”

Garcia earned a spot in next week’s British Open via an exemption off the LIV points list, which is a prime opportunity for him to show Donald that he’s worthy of one of the 12 spots on the team later this year at Bethpage Black in New York. 

He knows that the decision is out of his hands, but all Garcia can do is put his best foot forward. 

“The pick is going to be up to [Donald],” Garcia said. “Up to me is going to be the way I play. Obviously, if I play well, I think I have a good opportunity, a good chance of being picked. If I don’t, then it’ll depend a little bit on where I stand or how things are going.”