Sergio Garcia is ready to disobey Europe captain Padraig Harrington’s Ryder Cup instruction and miss the last qualifying event at Wentworth in two weeks time.
Garcia still could qualify automatically for next month’s biennial dust-up at Whistling Straits and if he maintains his uplift in form at the BMW Championship in Maryland this week (the Spaniard was on 10-under and well in contention with eight holes of his second round remaining) then he would not require the patronage of Harrington of any of three wildcards.
When asked about Wentworth, the European Tour’s flagship event in which he has not played for seven years, Garcia replied: “At the moment I don’t have it planned. I think that… I’m not going to lie, I’m 41 years old, I’ve travelled all around the world for a long time, so I can’t be doing too many jumps and just close to the Ryder Cup if I get picked.”
Garcia promised to talk to Harrington, but if the Dubliner’s comments to Telegraph Sport still apply then, if Garcia is not qualified by right, he will want Garcia’s attendance in Surrey, regardless of his status as the Ryder Cup’s all-time leading point-scorer.
“I want to say to players, if you’re interested in playing then come [to the BMW PGA Championship] and show me the form,” Harrington said. “If you are interested in a pick and decide to sit at home, you will be taking some chance.”
The scenario is complicated somewhat by Harrington ignoring Colin Montgomerie’s request to play at that year’s concluding qualifying event at Gleneagles in 2010 – and being picked anyway. Harrington said earlier in the year that Garcia “would almost need to lose a limb” not to be selected, but has now made a rod for his back with his insistence that any hopefuls should be at Wentworth.
Of course, Garcia could make this all academic. His performance so at the Caves Valley Club is a huge boost after a poor 2021 in which he has fallen to 55th in the world, his worst ranking in more than a decade. Rory McIlroy also looked in fine nick, standing at nine-under with seven left, just three off the early pace.
At the Curtis Cup, Great Britain saw their opening day’s three-point lead nullified as the US hit back at Conwy, the North Wales links, to take the match into the concluding eight singles at 6-6.