Sergio Garcia has weighed in on the talk surrounding LIV Golf’s recognition by golf’s peak world rating physique, saying the league’s certified success nonetheless “feels” unfair.
The previous Masters champion was talking at The Grange forward of LIV Adelaide, when he was questioned over the OWGR determination to solely hand world-rankings factors to the top-10 finishers of every occasion on the Saudi-backed tour.
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Slammed by LIV Golf as an “unprecedented” transfer that lacks “equality”, the event was nonetheless described as a optimistic for gamers by Garcia.
Nonetheless, he stays involved how the restrictive situations may hamper stars on LIV Golf who want to climb the rankings to achieve passage into any of the world’s 4 majors.
“It’s undoubtedly a step ahead,” Garcia stated.
“Is it honest? I assume time will inform us. It doesn’t really feel prefer it’s completely honest…
“When one in every of us is profitable, clearly that man will make a leap and that’s nice. However each time you’re eleventh or worse, you’re getting a zero and also you’re getting an additional occasion in your divisor. In order that … can damage lots.”
He added: “It’s optimistic. I believe that on the finish of the day, it’s going to assist a few of these children performing nicely to maneuver up the rankings. Hopefully they play very well.
“However sadly solely 10 guys can end within the prime 10. It could be good if it was expanded slightly bit farther as we in all probability assume it ought to. However hopefully it’ll come quickly.”
Garcia is ranked 369th on the planet – having as soon as been as excessive as No.2 – though because the 2017 Masters champion, he has lifetime exemption at Augusta.
The Spaniard has beforehand slammed OWGR rankings factors as irrelevant to the vast majority of LIV gamers, given how far lots of them have plummeted.
It’s value noting his exemptions on the different three majors have expired.
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A key change that noticed the OWGR lastly recognise LIV Golf after practically 4 years was the choice to maneuver occasions from three rounds to 4.
The transfer has prompted a stir inside the tour after star recruit Bryson DeChambeau made veiled feedback final week in regards to the situations not being what gamers “signed up for”.
Requested in regards to the format change, Garcia stated it’s “wonderful”, however added different grumbles.
“When it comes right down to prep, clearly it’s an additional day, so it makes the weeks a tiny bit longer,” he stated.
“With travelling a lot abroad, it turns into slightly bit harder to have the ability to get there with sufficient time to do prep in addition to you may wish to.
“However we’ve finished it our complete lives, so we all know how it’s. But it surely’s good. It’s wonderful.”
His Fireballs teammate David Puig, nonetheless, was extra optimistic in regards to the shift, saying it higher permits the cream of the sector to rise to the highest.
“Personally, I believe for the higher gamers of that week, I believe it’s undoubtedly higher since you’ve obtained to carry out higher for an additional day to really win the event or end excessive,” Puig stated.
“I believe (with) the three-day, that first spherical was actually necessary. When you began very well, you clearly had an opportunity to win, however you weren’t assured to complete excessive. However clearly the possibilities of you ending fairly excessive was simpler.
“However, in the event you had a fairly poor first spherical, then you definitely had been type of battling the following two days to crack the highest 10 or prime 15, no matter. I believe it’s extra honest and it’s simply higher.”
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‘I’D TAKE ANOTHER’
In the meantime, Garcia was requested for his view on renewed commentary in regards to the PGA Tour’s Gamers Championship being the world’s ‘fifth main’, and the way it stacks as much as comparable claims about Australia being worthy of its personal elevated occasion.
This week, Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee prompted a stir by saying the Gamers Championship at TPC Sawgrass may be the best event on the planet.
“In each single manner {that a} metric may very well be used to measure whether or not one thing is a significant, the Gamers, to me, stands alone and above the opposite 4 main championships as not only a main. It’s, in my estimation, one of the best main,” he stated.
Garcia’s LIV Golf colleague Lee Westwood was surprised by the remark, posting on X: “I’m frightened about Brandel. Somebody test on him please”.
Requested for his personal response, Garcia, a champion at Sawgrass in 2008, stated he was hesitant to touch upon different excursions.
Nonetheless, he added with a smile: “I’ll be completely happy to assert a second main, clearly, if that occurs.”
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Pressed on whether or not Australia deserves extra recognition off the again of profitable LIV tournaments in Adelaide, and final yr’s bumper Australian Open at Royal Melbourne, the place Garcia featured, the Spanish nice was unequivocal.
“I imply, undoubtedly, indisputably,” he stated.
“There’s so many locations on the planet that you’ve a fantastic golf following. Clearly Australia is one in every of them. They’ve proven us the thrill and the way a lot they love the sport of golf.”
He added: “I really feel like this occasion is a good occasion. You’ve got some wonderful younger gamers (with) nice potential. You’ve got some stars which were within the recreation for some time. You’ve got some which can be enjoying at a fantastic stage like Jon (Rahm) and a few others.
“I believe that the Australians needs to be tremendous, tremendous completely happy about what they’ve in the intervening time.
“Sadly, I don’t assume they’ve had a constant discipline like this one yr in, yr out, like (LIV’s) been doing for the previous 4 years. That’s good to have.”