LIV Golf star missing from The Open despite earning £9m this year alone

The Open at Royal Troon is underway this weekend, but one notable name is missing despite a successful run in the LIV Golf League this year.

Golf’s elite have gathered at Royal Troon for The Open, the final major tournament of 2024. While many top players from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf League are competing, one prominent figure from the latter is absent.

Sergio Garcia, currently second on the LIV money list for 2024, is missing from this prestigious event. Despite his successful season with the Saudi-funded LIV Golf League, Garcia failed to qualify for The Open for the second consecutive year.

At 44, Garcia fell short in the qualification tournament, finishing two strokes behind at West Lancashire, missing out on one of the four qualifying spots. This is a repeat of last year’s outcome for the Spaniard, despite his consistent performance in the LIV League.

Joining LIV Golf came with the risk of complicating access to major tournaments. Despite twice being a runner-up at The Open, Garcia is one of those facing the consequences of this decision.

Meanwhile, veteran golfer Justin Rose, who managed to secure his place at Troon through qualifying, is showing what Garcia could have achieved. Rose is currently tied for second place, just two strokes behind leader Shane Lowry, ahead of the final rounds.

Garcia was among the initial group of PGA players to join LIV Golf in 2022. His first victory in the league came only recently at the Andalucia event in Spain, where he won a $4 million first-place prize after defeating Anirban Lahiri in a playoff. His team, Fireballs GC, also won the team event, adding $750,000 to each member’s earnings.

Before the Andalucia event, Garcia was fourth on the LIV money list. His victory propelled him to second place, taking his 2024 earnings to approximately $11.5 million, with only Joaquin Niemann ahead of him.

Unlike Garcia, Niemann qualified for The Open and made the cut with an even-par score in the first two rounds, keeping him in contention for the title.

Garcia’s first LIV win on home soil was a significant milestone, and he aims for more success when the Saudi series resumes in England on July 28. However, for now, he must watch from the sidelines as the world’s best compete for the Claret Jug.