By Ryan Herrington
Whatever you think of LIV Golf’s Sergio Garcia as a player, this much is clear: He’s lousy at break-ups.

In May, the 42-year-old Spaniard was caught on camera irritably muttering: “I can’t wait to leave this tour”, while arguing with a rules official at the PGA Tour’s Wells Fargo Championship. The tournament was his last non-major start on the PGA Tour before moving to LIV Golf in June.

Garcia didn’t offer any audible moment of petulance last month in what is looking like in hindsight will be his final start as a member of the DP World Tour, only visual ones: photos of Garcia and his wife on the sidelines of a Unirsity of Texas football game 4,800 miles away from Wentworth Club where he was supposed to be playing the second round of the BMW PGA Championship. Garcia had withdrawn from the event after shooting an opening-round 76.

A DP World Tour spokesperson confirmed to Golf Digest on Tuesday that Garcia was fined for failing to provide a medical explanation for his BMW PGA withdrawal as required by the tour’s General Regulations Handbook. The official would not say how much the fine was for as it is tour policy not to disclose specific amounts.

MORE: The Sergio saga just got juicier 

In the meantime, Garcia’s days as an official member of the tour appear to be coming to an end — and with that any chance of playing in the 2023 Ryder Cup. To date in 2022, Garcia has played in just three DP World Tour events—the Dubai Desert Classic, BMW International and the BMW PGA. For a player to maintain his membership, he is required to play in a minimum of four events, so long as three are Rolex Series events and the fourth is in their home country (Garcia comes up short in both categories). Otherwise, there is a six-event minimum, which Garcia failed to do.

Garcia could have played in Spain at next week’s Mallorca Golf Open, but the entry deadline passed last on Friday without him filing anything, according to the tour. He is playing this week in the LIV Golf Invitational — Jeddah after playing last week at LIV’s event in Bangkok. Had he played in Mallorca and performed well enough, theoretically he could have earned a spot into the season-ending DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah.By losing his official membership, Garcia makes himself ineligible to compete in the Ryder Cup next September in Rome. DP World Tour officials are currently trying to prevent tour members who have moved to the LIV Golf circuit from being able to compete in DP events or earn points to qualify for the Ryder Cup. The matter will be under review in a UK court in February 2023.

With 14 career wins on the DP World Tour, Garcia holds honorary life member status on tour, which means he can still play in events he is exempt for prior to the court review. However any points that he would earn would not count toward the DP World Tour or Ryder Cup rankings.

You may also like:
Golf Digest Middle East presents Oktoberfest 2020
Aramco Team Series ready for return to New York
‘Being a LIV caddie is the best of my career’
Grab your LIV Golf Jeddah discounted tickets here
Here’s a milestone Tiger didn’t want
Prestwick turns back the clock
Dustin Johnson picks up a tidy bonus for winning LIV Golf Individual Championship
LIV Golf Jeddah — all you need to know
LIV Golf pays and plays it forward
Watch: Highlights from the LIV Golf Bangkok finale
Chacarra holds nerve to claim LIV Golf Bangkok
Watch: Highlights from LIV Golf Day 2
Watch: Woe for Wu at Spanish Open
Chicarra closer to first pro title as Grace withdraws
Bryson hits back at OWGR decision
LIV Golf Day 1 takeaways
Field announced for LIV Golf Jeddah
LIV Golfers set for bumper Bangkok pay day
WATCH: Sungjae’s shot of the season contender
Eugenio finds form at LIV Golf Bangkok
OWGR says ‘no’ to LIV Golf — for now
LIV Golf looks at ranking points through MENA Tour
Noren gets the luckiest of bounces at St Andrews
Charley and MacKenzie set a new mark
LET set for an Aramco showdown
Dubai’s McKee all set for Aramco Team Series bow
Cam Smith ready for return to action in Asia
Rory comes up short at St Andrews yet again
Viya Golfs adds to the club
UAE golfer heads to the Masters