Sergio Garcia envisions possible PGA Tour return after LIV exit | News
Last week, Sergio Garcia’s lawyers spoke on behalf of the former major champion. In LIV bankruptcy court, they asked permission for Garcia to terminate his contract.
Then on Wednesday, Garcia spoke for himself.
Ahead of the 2026 Open de Espana on the DP World Tour, Garcia sat down for a press conference and spoke openly to reporters about potential plans for his future playing career, saying, “I think everything is an option.”
One of those options is a return to LIV, which the 2017 Masters champ didn’t rule out.
Another option Garcia addressed on Wednesday? An unlikely return to the PGA Tour.
Sergio shares post-LIV plans for 2027, eyes Ryder Cup spot
In the court filing Garcia’s lawyers made last week, they requested clarification on Sergio’s original LIV contract considering the league’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy. They were seeking to know if the contract had been terminated because of the bankruptcy and, if not, to be granted the right to terminate the contract themselves.
Without the contract termination, Garcia’s lawyers argued that Sergio’s attempt at joining other golf tours might be hampered.
“So long as the Agreement remains of record, tournament organizers, sponsors, and other counterparties may hesitate before dealing with Garcia, who may be unable to represent that they are free of competing contractual commitments. That uncertainty is particularly acute for a professional athlete, whose tournament schedule, sponsorship arrangements, and participation in other events must be planned well in advance, and whose competitive career is necessarily finite,” Garcia’s lawyers stated in the court filing.
The court’s ruling on Tuesday officially ended Garcia’s contract, so he is no longer a LIV Golf player. But that doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t rejoin LIV in the future.
Garcia’s lawyers explicitly stated as much in the filing.
In his Open de Espana press conference, Sergio reiterated that idea.
“That doesn’t mean I won’t go or that I’ll definitely stay with LIV,” Garcia said. “But settling the LIV 1.0 matter now avoids potential repercussions related to that contract.”
One of Garcia’s most obvious avenues for next year is playing on the DP World Tour, an option fellow Spanish LIV Golf pro David Puig announced he was taking on Thursday. But Garcia’s top priority for 2027 is the Ryder Cup at Adare Manor.
“Everyone knows how much I love the Ryder Cup and the possibility of playing in another one, or if not, finding some way to help in another way, as vice-captain or something like that could be something very interesting,” Garcia said. “I told [European captain Luke Donald] that I’m going to do everything possible to see if I can get into that team and I also told him that if I don’t get into that team, I’ll help in any way I can.”
While Garcia is leaving the door to LIV 2.0 slightly open, if playing on LIV in 2027 impacted his DP World Tour status and, therefore, his Ryder Cup eligibility, it’s unlikely he’d return.
“I don’t really know how things will end up with the DP World Tour regarding LIV 2.0, we’ll have to see. I want to try and give myself the best chance of making that team,” Garcia said, referring to the 2027 Ryder Cup team.
But what about a return to the PGA Tour for the 11-time Tour winner? Garcia spoke to that in his press conference, too.
“It’s definitely a possibility,” Garcia said of a potential PGA Tour return.
The more likely place Garcia would eventually make his reintegration into the PGA Tour world would be on the senior tour. Garcia will be eligible to play the PGA Tour Champions in three years when he turns 50, at least based on the age restrictions.
“I turn 47 in January, and the Champions Tour is a possibility. Besides, I’d like the chance to play some of those tournaments, especially the big ones on the Champions Tour. These are things that I’m starting to consider at my age,” Garcia said.
A PGA Tour comeback would be more difficult. Garcia is officially suspended from the PGA Tour for one year dating back to the last LIV Golf event he played. So he won’t be allowed to compete in PGA Tour-sanctioned events until at least August.
But he could follow the plan of other former LIV pros, such as Patrick Reed and now Jon Rahm, and attempt to earn his 2027 PGA Tour card by finishing in the top 10 in the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai next year.
