Exclusive: Sergio Garcia reveals DP World Tour return pushed back after extended ban

Sergio Garcia has told GolfMagic his likely first event back on the DP World Tour will not be until the BMW International Open in early July, which comes just two months before the cut-off point for 2025 European Ryder Cup team eligibility. 

Garcia, 45, admits the DP World Tour imposed an added tournament suspension on him and that has halted him in his tracks to start earning Ryder Cup points this season. 

The 2017 Masters champion revealed his latest schedule update to GolfMagic just two weeks before he embarks on a fourth LIV Golf season starting out in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

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Garcia's decision to come back to the DP World Tour now gives him a chance to become eligible for Luke Donald's 2025 European Ryder Cup side in New York this September.

Should Garcia make Donald's European Ryder Cup team then he will join Westwood and Sir Nick Faldo for a record 11 appearances. 

There had been some anticipation by European golf fans that Garcia would be able to make his DP World Tour return at this week's Bahrain Championship, but that is no longer the case. 

It is to our understanding here at GolfMagic that an added tournaments suspension was imposed on Garcia, and that has consequently pushed back his return on the DP World Tour.

The Fireballs GC captain has to fulfil his commitments to compete in all 14 LIV Golf events from February through to August.

Garcia is therefore trying to find suitable dates in his playing schedule with which to be able to return to the DP World Tour this season.

Sergio Garcia expected to return to DP World Tour in July

Garcia has confirmed to GolfMagic that he will likely not participate in a DP World Tour event until the 26th event of the season. 

That is expected to be the BMW International Open staged at Golfclub München Eichenried from 3-6 July. 

"It looks like the BMW International Open in Munich but that might change," Garcia told GolfMagic Editor Andy Roberts via text message of his likely return to the DP World Tour. 

Garcia also confirmed to GolfMagic an added tournament suspension was imposed on him by the DP World Tour.

That prevented him from not only teeing it up in Bahrain this week but also at this month's Dubai Desert Classic, a tournament close to his heart having won it in 2017. 

"Yes," Garcia confirmed of his added tournament suspension. 

"I would have played in Dubai if not."

Garcia will get his first shot to rack up some valuable European Ryder Cup points when he participates at The Masters from 10-13 April.

The Spaniard is eligible to play in the first major of the year at famed Augusta National every season due to his past champion status. 

Garcia will then need to try and qualify or receive invites to the US PGA (15-18 May), US Open (12-15 June) and The Open (17-20 July). 

The BMW International Open falls just three weeks before The Open and just two months before the cut-off point for European Ryder Cup team eligibility. 

In order to be eligible for the European Ryder Cup team, players must remain members of the DP World Tour and play in four regular season DP World Tour events. 

DP World Tour members can accrue Ryder Cup points in a number of different ways via the majors, DP World Tour and PGA Tour, which you can see from the table above. 

The difficulty for Garcia, along with other LIV Golf League players, is that he is ineligible to accumulate any Ryder Cup points or OWGR points via LIV Golf events. 

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The top six in the Ryder Cup points race will earn automatic spots in Donald's team.

Donald will then have six captain's picks to dish out to whoever he likes, of course providing they are a DP World Tour member.

Garcia, who is currently ranked 448th in the world, therefore knows he faces an uphill battle to automatically make Donald's team, especially if he is to return to the DP World Tour as expected in the first week of July. 

But Garcia, who finished third on the LIV Golf individual standings in 2024, has made it clear to GolfMagic he very much intends to earn one of Donald's six captain's picks should he miss out on the automatic top six. 

"I'm really excited to be back being part of the DP World Tour and excited to play a few events this year, support the Tour and obviously have the possibility of being eligible for the Ryder Cup," Garcia recently told GolfMagic. 

"It's now just time to play good golf and do some nice things."

Garcia won his first LIV Golf title last season with a home victory at LIV Golf Andalucia in a playoff over Anirban Lahiri. 

LIV Golf has been been shut out of receiving OWGR points as a result of their limited fields, 54-hole status and shotgun starts.

Garcia's last regular DP World Tour appearance came at the BMW PGA at Wentworth in September 2022. 

He recently announced a new member on his LIV Golf team for 2025 in Luis Masaveu. 

The 2025 LIV Golf League season once again comprises 14 tournaments with the first event starting on 6 February in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.