Sergio Garcia Could Be Part of 2025 European Ryder Cup Team at Bethpage Black

European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald said Garcia may rejoin the DP World Tour, which would make him eligible for the team.

Sergio Garcia has won more Ryder Cup points than any player in history. / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Sergio Garcia resigned his DP World Tour membership in 2023 in the wake of joining LIV Golf, which at the time essentially meant that the winningest Ryder Cup player in history would never appear in the biennial event again.

But that may turn out to not be the case.

European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, in a press conference Tuesday in New York City, said he has talked to the Spaniard and that Garcia may rejoin the DP World Tour as the first step in a possible Ryder Cup return.

“We have had some chats. He’d have to follow all the rules and regulations like everyone else, and if he does that, again, he will be eligible to partake in the Ryder Cup,” Donald said.

“He thinks he can play. He wants to play. I don't think he has talked to me about being an assistant captain, but again, he would have to rejoin the tour for him to be eligible."

Garcia won 28.5 points across 10 Ryder Cups, the most of any player all-time, and Europe won six of those 10. He won for the first time in LIV Golf this year in front of home fans at Spain’s Valderrama Golf Club and finished third in the overall season standings behind Jon Rahm and Joaquin Niemann. However he is 390th in the Official World Golf Ranking, which does not award points for LIV tournaments. He turns 45 in January.

Donald said Garcia didn’t discuss an assistant captain role, but that it would also require good standing in the DP World Tour.

U.S. captain Keegan Bradley joined Donald in the press conference, marking one year out from the 2025 matches, and both answered questions on a number of other topics.

> On being a playing captain: Bradley was on the victorious U.S. Presidents Cup team last month, clinching the winning point at Royal Montreal. He has not ruled out playing while captaining at Bethpage, but said it’s not atop his mind.

“I made a promise to myself that I’m not going to worry about this until the time comes if I do. It's really difficult to make the American team every year; you have to go out and really perform,” Bradley said. “Like I said, right now, my focus is on being a captain but I'm still a full-time player. I'm still playing in all the majors and all the big events next year. So I have a real shot at doing this. For now, I'm focusing on my guys and getting them ready to go.”

> On Jon Rahm’s eligibility: The world No. 13 who won this year’s season title in LIV Golf has played multiple events recently on the DP World Tour to try to maintain his status, including last week at the Dunhill Links Championship (where he tied for 7th) and the Spanish Open (where he lost in a playoff), and Donald said they have talked.

“It was great to see Jon do what he needed to do to remain eligible and to see him in Spain, and last week he played very well at the Dunhill. We're in constant communication,” Donald said. “I'm talking to all the players, to him, to Tyrrell (Hatton). It was great to see Tyrrell win last week at the Dunhill.”

> On course setup at Bethpage Black: The course’s superintendent talked to Sports Illustrated and golf writers last week during an outing at the course and said the course would be tweaked to favor the American long hitters by having shorter rough. Bradley said he hasn’t been to Bethpage Black lately and downplayed any home-course advantage in terms of setup.

“I haven't been out to Bethpage in a long time so I'm not totally sure of the changes,” he said. “I know that the home team definitely has a lot less say in the setup than it used to. I remember my first couple, the home team had a pretty serious say in the course setup and where the tees were.

“In the United States, I think it's three or four months before the tournament, we have no control. We have no control of the pin positions or where the tees are. It doesn't matter, really, how the courses are set up. We're going out there and playing against each other.”

> On the New York fans: With the increased popularity of the Ryder Cup over the last 30 years has come more boisterous fans, and the expectation is that New York crowds could take it to another level of partisanship. Both captains were asked if there may be measures to make sure there nothing goes too far.

“We know you go over to an away Ryder Cup, it's going to be difficult. This is a big event. We're all grownups and we know how tough it is to go play an away Ryder Cup,” Bradley said. “I have total faith in the fans of New York to cheer on their team, proudly and loudly. I don't want them to cross the line, to do anything that would affect the course of play. But it's going to be a tough atmosphere … we know we have to go out there and perform for the fans to be behind us.”

Donald was on the home side as a winning captain in Paris and will now try to win as a road captain. 

“The Ryder Cup is special because it is spirited. Passions are high. Energy is high. You want to see that amongst the players. You certainly don't want to see the spirit of the Ryder Cup endangered in any way,” he said. “The PGA of America have things in place for if there is, you know, outbursts or if there's anything deemed inappropriate, they will deal with that.

“We are looking forward to playing in front of a New York crowd. It's going to be feisty. It's going to be spirited, and it will be fun.”