Sergio Garcia’s withdrawal from the BMW PGA Championship has him in trouble, according to Telegraph Sport.
The 42-year-old Spaniard is facing a fine by the DP World Tour if he doesn’t provide proof of an emergency or medical issue for withdrawing from the tour’s flagship event.
The DP World Tour rules handbook states a player may only WD for “emergency reasons or medical circumstances deemed reasonable by the tournament director.”
Following a first-round 76, Garcia, one of 15 LIV Golf defectors to tee it up at the BMW PGA, withdrew from the event after it was suspended — and later reduced to 54 holes — due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
Garcia then flew across the Atlantic and attended the Texas-Alabama football game Saturday at Darrell K Royal Memorial Stadium with his wife, Angela Akins Garcia. Both played college golf as Longhorns. Before the game, they crossed paths with fellow former Longhorn, Scottie Scheffler, who was named PGA Tour Player of the Year on Saturday.
Full-field scores from the BMW PGA Championship
An anonymous high-profile player told The Telegraph, “However, you look at it, this is two fingers up from Garcia to the tour. He came to Wentworth saying he wanted to ‘support the Tour,’ but was obviously annoyed at what [DP World Tour CEO] Keith Pelley said.”
In a press conference on Wednesday ahead of the BMW PGA, Pelley referenced one of Garcia’s past comments by saying, “Can we please just stop the feeder tour nonsense once and for all? And as to the point of heading towards being the world’s fifth tour, one of our members who is playing here this week actually said that. It’s unbelievable.”
As of Monday, Garcia’s management company has not provided a reason for his withdrawal. Wentworth HQ confirmed to Telegraph Sport that a reason must be provided in the next three weeks or Garcia will be fined. Garcia’s agent didn’t reply to any calls or messages from Telegraph Sport.
Garcia is slated to play in LIV Golf’s event in Chicago this week.
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