he is no longer the infant prodigy that impressed by its precocity in all the fields of the planet, nor the adolescent unafraid you became professional with just 19 years. Neither did the dominant player who reached the number two in the worldnor the one that in 2017 finally raised its first major, the Augustan Masters. In the second part of his career and at 43 years old, Sergio García has redirected his career towards LIV Tourthe Saudi golf league that will experience its first full season this year, after the controversial irruption in 2022. Sergio faces this course with a ‘new’ knee, after undergoing surgery to fix the problems in the meniscus.
García returned to compete last week at the Saudi International, the most important event on the calendar of the Asian Tour, a circuit compatible with the LIV Tour, contrary to its usual in Europe and the United States, where the vetoes continue. This week, the golfer from Castellón repeats on the Asian Tour, in this case on the International Series Oman. A double anteroom for the LIV Tour, which this year will consist of 14 tournaments with a whopping 405 million dollars at stake.
special format
This Saudi initiative, in addition to shaking the foundations of golf, proposes a different format for tournaments. Three days of competition instead of four and 54 holes instead of 72. Players not only compete individually, but also in teams. García, one of the prominent figures, is the captain of the Fireballs: the Mexicans accompany him Carlos Ortiz and Abraham Ancer and he is also Spanish Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra.
In statements collected by ESPN, García stressed his support for this new vision of golf. “It’s a different feeling than a normal tour tournament that they saw in previous years. It is with more energy, younger and with music. It’s more bearable, more fun overall and they’ll enjoy it,” he explained. One of the differences in terms of image is that the players can wear shorts. A small modification, perhaps, but very significant in a sport so rooted in codes.
Surfing the controversies and legal disputes, the new golf continues, growing. This year, nine tournaments join five of the seven that made up the debut of the LIV circuit in 2022, whose CEO and commissioner is the Australian Greg Norman, one of the legends of world golf.
In Spain
Among the novelties of 2023, the event that will be held at the Valderrama Golf ClubUntil now, the venue for one of the Spanish tournaments that had been part of the DP World Tour for years, and Sergio García’s favorite field, where he will be able to play from June 30 to July 2.
In the cast of LIV Golf players, in addition to Sergio himself, Cameron Smith, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, Patrick Reed, Henrik Stenson, Bubba Watson, Louis Oosthuizen, Graeme McDowell, Martin Kaymer and Charl Schwartzel stand out. . Much better and much history. Almost nothing.
The presence in Ryder, increasingly complicated
The presence of Sergio Garcia in the next Ryder Cup it’s getting more and more complicated. The player from Castellón, who is the player with the most points won in the history of the competition, could miss the event to be held in Italy, from September 29 to October 1, due to his decision to join the Saudi LIV Tour.
The United States has already warned that among its 12 chosen there will be no player of this new and lucrative circuit that has attracted big names in the competition such as Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka or Bryson DeChambeau, among others; while the European Circuit is pending arbitration that will decide whether figures like Sergio García or the English Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter can play the DP World Tour and be eligible for captain Luke Donald, or not.
Another of the classics of the competition, the English Justin Rose, was the last to pronounce yesterday. Rose, who played the 2017 Augusta Masters with the Borriolan in an exciting one-on-one, does not believe that the Ryder Cup, given its importance and history, “will be devalued” this year if players who have opted for it cannot participate. enroll in the new LIV Tour.
In principle, García will be able to play the Augusta Masters, which has not joined the veto.
