Sergio Garcia announced he will resign from the DP World Tour and abandon hope of another Ryder Cup appearance, as he completed what is likely to be his last appearance in a St Andrews-staged Open Championship.
The bombshell announcement came after his final round of the major at the 'home of golf', with Garcia underlining his commitment to the controversial, Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series.
It remains to be seen whether those on that circuit will be able to play in future majors, but Garcia told Spanish media he is giving up on the idea of playing tournaments on the DP World Tour, which was previously known as the European Tour.
It would leave him sidelined for future editions of the Ryder Cup, the contest between Europe and the United States in which he is the record points-scorer.
"I am quite clear about what I am going to do with the European circuit. Probably leave it," Garcia said, quoted by AS. "Honestly, I want to play where they want me and right now I don't feel wanted on the European Tour."
He reacted angrily to Thomas Bjorn's criticism of the players who have signed up for the lucrative LIV Golf series, saying he did not need to accept "nonsense like that".
"I have what I have and I will try to enjoy it. I'll play less, I'll be at home more, if I don't play majors then I don't play them... I don't care much either," Garcia said.
"I feel a little sorry for the Ryder [Cup], but playing the way I'm playing I'm not going to play the Ryder. We will enjoy what we have, we will play where they want us. I haven't officially communicated anything yet, but I'm going to do it."
The 42-year-old Spaniard, who won the 2017 Masters, is sorry he never had the chance to play with his great compatriot Seve Ballesteros at St Andrews, and said there would be "a little bit of disappointment" if he never wins the tournament.
Garcia has twice been an Open runner-up, losing in a play-off to Padraig Harrington in 2007 at Carnoustie, then finishing two shots behind Rory McIlroy in 2014 at Royal Liverpool.
He made his Open debut as a 16-year-old amateur in 1996 and has not been in the mix this week, with a second round of 66 only serving to repair the damage from a 75 on Thursday.
Asked if there would be a sense of regret if he was sidelined from future Opens and never lifted the Claret Jug, Garcia said on Sunday: "I wouldn't say regret. Obviously a little bit of disappointment because I've been close and I love this championship and these crowds very much. Sometimes you don't get what you want or what you wish."
Looking at St Andrews in particular, Garcia said the Open's next return to the Scottish links, likely to come in 2030, might be too far off into the future for him to return.
"I don't know, when is the next one here? 2030. Yeah, probably tough," he said. "And the way everyone is reacting to us [the LIV Golf players], probably even tougher. It is what it is. Things come to an end."
Garcia, who has had two top-10 finishes in Open Championships at St Andrews, spoke of his memories of the course.
"I have some good ones, obviously. Unfortunately I never got to play with Seve here," he said. "That would have been fun."
The golf from Garcia this week was not good enough to contend, with a closing 73 seeing him finish on two-under par.
Asked how he had enjoyed competing on the Fife coast, Garcia said: "Not very much. I enjoyed the crowd, but that was about it."
IOC denies dragging its heels over decision on Russians and Belarusians for Paris 2024 Olympics
Thomas Bach denied the International Olympic Committee is biding its time over deciding whether Russia and Belarus athletes can compete at Paris 2024 amounted to "kicking it down the road".
IOC president Bach spoke on Tuesday at a press conference after interim recommendations were issued to international federations and organisers of events regarding the involvement of Russians and Belarusians in events while war in Ukraine continues.
The Olympic body urged federations to exclude any athletes or support personnel "who actively support the war", along with anybody "contracted to the Russian or Belarusian military or national security agencies", and said teams from either country should not be allowed to compete in international sport for now.
However, in a statement, the IOC said: "Sports organisations must have the sole responsibility to decide which athletes can take part in international competitions based on their sporting merits and not on political grounds or because of their passports."
There is a clear possibility of Russian and Belarusian athletes being allowed to compete as neutrals at the Paris Olympics next year, although Bach stressed there has been no decision taken on that matter, explaining it has yet to be discussed by the IOC executive board.
Bach said the IOC was going along with a United Nations position, and when asked whether Olympic chiefs were simply waiting for the war to end, and holding fire on direct action until then, he refuted the contention.
"We are not kicking it down the road, and we are not waiting," Bach said. "I guess we all would like the war to end now, and this is what we are calling for, but as you can see for all the reasons we are giving the conditions are not related to the development of the war, they are related to the respect of the Olympic charter and the Olympic values, and there we have to address these questions whether somebody is actively supporting the war in whichever way."
Bach said a decision regarding next year's Olympics would be made "at the appropriate time", without indicating when that might be, saying it was important to monitor the latest recommendations "for as long as possible" before taking "an informed decision".
He said there was no timeline because "nobody knows what's happening tomorrow or in one week or in nine months, so we have just to monitor and then find the appropriate time".
Bach knows there is unease in some quarters about the IOC not taking a firm decision.
When asked about Russia being happy its athletes were being able to compete, and Ukraine being unhappy with the situation, Bach said: "We have been accused by the Russian side of being agents of the United States, and we have been accused by Ukrainian side of being promoters of the war, so we appear to be somewhere in the middle."
Woods and Trout team up to build exclusive golf club in New Jersey
Tiger Woods has teamed up with Mike Trout to build a private golf club in New Jersey.
Trout, a 10-time MLB All-Star, still lives in New Jersey, when not on the west coast for his day job with the Los Angeles Angels.
Woods and his design company – TGR Design – will plan the 18-hole course in Vineland.
Trout National-The Reserve will also feature a practice range, short-game area, clubhouse, lodging and a wedding chapel, and is scheduled to open in 2025.
"I've always enjoyed watching Mike on the diamond so when the opportunity arose to work with him on Trout National-The Reserve, I couldn't pass it up," Woods said.
"It's a great site for golf and our team's looking forward to creating a special course."
Trout added: "I could put down roots anywhere in the country, but Jessica and I make south Jersey our offseason home and always cherish the time we get to spend there.
"I love south Jersey and I love golf, so creating Trout National-The Reserve is a dream come true. And then to add to that we'll have a golf course designed by Tiger?
"It's just incredible to think that this project has grown to where we're going to be working with someone many consider the greatest and most influential golfer of all time."
McIlroy taking 'tons of positives' into Masters despite Match Play collapse
Rory McIlroy is taking "tons of positives" from his performance at the WGC Match Play and feels his game is in good shape heading into next month's Masters.
The world number two finished third at Austin Country Club on Sunday after winning six out of his seven matches.
McIlroy suffered disappointment in his semi-final with Cameron Young, however, as he lost from two up with three to play as the contest went to a play-off.
Despite that collapse, and a chance to face eventual winner Sam Burns in the final, the Northern Irishman is pleased with his form heading into the opening major of the year.
"There are tons of positives to take away," he said. "If you had told me I would make it to the Sunday of the Match Play last week I would have taken that.
"I am maybe going to go up [to Augusta National] for a day and mess around. I went last week but don't think there is any harm in going up again and then it's about practice.
"I don't think there is tons to do. I think my game is in really good shape so just keep it ticking over, work on the shots I need for Augusta and away we go."
McIlroy, who defeated Scottie Scheffler to finish third, will now turn focus to landing victory at Augusta and becoming the sixth man to complete a career Grand Slam.
He has landed seven top-10 finishes, but last year's second place is the closest McIlroy has come to adding to his PGA Championship, U.S. Open and Open Championship titles.
"I'm excited about how things are now compared to this time a couple weeks ago," McIlroy added. "I drove the ball a lot better this week and I felt pretty good with the putter.
"For the first week out I thought both ends of the bag worked pretty well. I don't think anything is in bad shape. I'll keep it ticking over and work on the shots I need for Augusta."
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