Sergio Garcia takes dig at R&A after being told he deserves an invite into The Open

Sergio Garcia, a prominent figure in LIV Golf, has voiced his frustration towards the R&A following his failure to qualify for the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon. Garcia, 44, backed a LIV Golf fan’s suggestion that he deserved an automatic invite, while also criticizing the declining viewership of the final major of the season.

Garcia’s failure to qualify for The Open marks the second consecutive year he has missed out on the prestigious event. Last year was the first time since 1997 that Garcia did not compete in The Open. Despite a valiant effort at West Lancs last Tuesday, he fell two strokes short of securing one of the four available spots.

Had Garcia, the 2017 Masters champion, qualified, it would have been his 100th major appearance. His recent performances have been inconsistent; he missed the cut at The Masters in April and failed to qualify for the US PGA, although he did play his way into the US Open and finished T12.

During the Open qualifying round, Garcia expressed his frustration with officials, blaming them for his group being put on the clock, which he felt contributed to slow play. He claimed that fans obstructing the group’s play were a significant factor. After failing to secure a spot at Royal Troon, Garcia blamed the officials for what he saw as a missed opportunity to compete in Scotland from July 18-21.
https://x.com/TheSergioGarcia/status/1810268216364560878?t=nWblSRRgpbnOOigmHTaAMg&s=19

In response to his exclusion, Garcia supported a tweet from a LIV Golf fan account named “LIV Myth Buster.” The tweet suggested that Garcia, being a significant draw for fans, deserved better conditions for qualifying or even an automatic invitation to The Open. The fan criticized the setup for handling fans and questioned the relevance of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) in such decisions.

Garcia endorsed this sentiment and added his own critique of the declining viewership figures for The Open. He tweeted: “I like this idea. Viewership down each year – all I want is the opportunity to play. 99 majors down, 2 as an amateur. I’m in it for the long haul!”

This week, Garcia will be competing on home soil at LIV Golf Andalucia, but despite the participation of 18 other LIV Golf players in the upcoming Open Championship, Garcia will not be among them.

The debate over automatic invitations and the role of traditional qualifying in major tournaments continues, with Garcia’s comments highlighting the ongoing tension between LIV Golf and the established golf bodies.