More than 6 weeks after his sudden and controversial departure from the iconic DP World Tour tournament, Sergio Garcia has finally revealed why he left the BMW PGA Championship after the first round.
Sergio Garcia, who joined the Saudi-funded tour earlier this year, said comments from Billy Horschel and DP World Tour chief Keith Pelley at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in early September left him with a bitter taste.
Horschel notably called LIV players hypocrites during a press conference under high tension.
“It’s quite simple”explained Sergio Garcia in an interview with The Times. “I didn’t appreciate the way we were treated, and mentally it was hard to live with and concentrate after giving more than half my life to the Tour.”
Obviously the winner of the 2017 Masters believes that the European circuit is indebted to him…
Robert MacIntyre and I don’t know who else say I lost my mind and started screaming. Personally I don’t remember.
The day after the day of mourning in tribute to Queen Elizabeth Garcia flew without giving an explanation for her withdrawal. The day before he had returned a card of 76 and on his arrival in Texas he had gone a few hours later to an American university football match.
He has since been sanctioned by the DP World Tour and will have to pay a fine for failing to provide medical justification for his abandonment.
The Garcia-Heredia controversy
The Spaniard had been singled out in particular for having deprived his compatriot and first reserve Alfredo Garcia-Herediaa place at the start of this lucrative tournament and which could cost him the loss of his right to play in 2023.
Garcia-Herredia currently 123rd in the DP World Tour Ranking fights this week in Portugal to enter the 117 and keep his card next season.
“I was playing really well and was excited to start and score points for the Ryder Cup but on Thursday morning after the press conferences from Pelley and Horschel I just didn’t feel like it anymore. I felt like I really had nothing to do there. I couldn’t concentrate.” he justified himself.
MacIntyre’s charges
Garcia, who remains the Ryder Cup points scorer (28.5 points / 25 wins – 13 losses – 7 draws in 10 appearances), has also dismissed allegations that he poured a flood of derogatory words into the locker room at BMW International. Open in June.
Shortly after being fined £100,000 for taking part in LIV’s first tournament, Robert MacIntyre says Garcia had been very critical of the DP World Tour.
The Scot had tweeted that he had instantly lost all respect for someone he had admired so much before.
“I don’t even know what he’s talking about,” assured Garcia. «I was obviously sad to see the direction things were going, but some guys, apparently Robert MacIntyre and I don’t know who else, say I lost my mind and started screaming. Personally, I don’t remember.
Photo © Giorgio VIERA / AFP
