Sergio Garcia dismisses Rory McIlroy's LIV idea: "We deserve more than that"
Sergio Garcia may have buried the hatchet with Rory McIlroy but he has dismissed the Northern Irishman's idea for LIV Golf.
Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy may be friends again after the duo fell out over the breakaway tour but the Spaniard has dismissed the Ulsterman's idea for the LIV Golf League.
McIlroy's stance on the Saudi-backed tour has softened in recent months and despite the future of men's professional golf remaining in flux it appears the two sides are attempting to come together at long last.
The Northern Irishman, 34, suggested he would be open to the idea of being part of LIV should it turn into the 'IPL of golf' whereby four events are played in the spring and four are played in the summer.
He has also urged the powers that be to 'think outward' and try and formulate a global golf tour.
"Revenues at the PGA Tour right now are about $2.3 billion," McIlroy said as he outlined his vision.
"So how do we get that number up to four or six? To me, it is by looking outward.
"They need to think internationally and spread their wings a bit. I've been banging that drum for a while."
Garcia believes LIV should have more of a prominent role in the future of men's professional golf.
"I don't think we want to be important for one month," he told the Standard. "We all deserve more than that."
Unsurprisingly Garcia had some kind words for his fellow Spaniard Jon Rahm, who switched tours last month in a deal reported to be worth at least £450m to the reigning Masters champion.
Rahm wasn't as heavily criticised by his peers for bolting. At least, not in the same way Garcia and his fellow LIV 'rebels' were initially treated.
McIlroy described Rahm's decision as a 'smart business move'.
Responding to McIlroy's comments, Rahm said the Northern Irishman displayed a lot of 'maturity' considering his previous remarks about LIV.
"Rahm should probably thank us a little bit for that," Garcia told the paper of the lack of criticism Rahm has come in for.
"We knew being the first ones we would take some heat.
"We believed in the product, we believed in how good LIV is and it can become even better.
"We just had to ride the wave of criticism, but now people are starting to see the reality of it."
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Garcia still hasn't paid his outstanding DP World Tour fines
The 2017 Masters champion was fined heavily by the DP World Tour for teeing it up in LIV events without a tournament release.
Unlike European Ryder Cup icons such as Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter, Garcia opted not to pay his fines after LIV players were ruled against by a sports arbiter.
Garcia reportedly made a last-minute attempt to be involved in the 2023 Ryder Cup by making good his fines.
According to Telegraph Sport, Garcia owes as much as £700,000.
But Garcia's bid to wear the blue and gold in Italy last September was swiftly rejected by European chiefs.
It appears Garcia still hasn't paid the fines but he is willing to reapply for his DP World Tour membership. Yet the issue of fines is a sticking point.
He said: "I was going to [reapply for membership] this year - I talked to my managers, I talked to my wife. I was ready to do it.
"But after seeing that players here in LIV stayed as members and got a one-year ban, obviously it's not worth it.
"I'm not willing to get my membership, pay all my fines and then get banned for a year. That doesn't make any sense."
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