After Choosing $40,000,000 Over Legacy, Sergio Garcia Suffers a Major Setback For His LIV Defection For the First Time in 24 Years

The year’s second major is just days away from kicking off, with the PGA of America releasing the field list for the tournament on Wednesday. The 105th edition of the much-coveted event will begin on May 18 at New York’s Oak Hill Country Club.

Like the Masters, the 2023 PGA Championship also promises the fans tons of excitement, especially with 18 LIV golfers in the mix. While most big names from the Saudi-backed breakaway league have found their way onto the list, the absence of one-time major winner Sergio Garcia has surprised many.

LIV’s Sergio Garcia is not eligible for the 2023 PGA Championship

Spain’s Sergio Garcia was among the many golf heavyweights whose move to LIV Golf came as a big surprise to his fans. Per reports, the 2017 Masters winner joined Greg Norman’s league for an alleged $40,000,000 contract. Many believed that the golfer was throwing caution to the wind, mainly because of the majors on the line.

Now, fans’ worries have come true as the Spaniard has failed to qualify for a major for the first time since 1999. In these 24 years, Garcia has missed just the 2020 Masters due to COVID-19. His last major championship appearance came at the Augusta National in April, where the 43-year-old failed to make the cut.

Also Read: After Choosing Money Over Legacy, LIV Golf Defector Sergio Garcia Pays the Price for His $40,000,000 Decision

Since joining LIV Golf, Garcia has seen moderate success. In his LIV Singapore appearance last month, he finished second, pocketing $2,250,000 in earnings. Regardless of his performance, the golfer failed to earn any OWGR points, dropping to the 189th position in the rankings.

The PGA of America announced its 155-player field on Wednesday, with one spot still up for grabs for the winner of this week’s AT&T Byron Nelson. The field features 99 of the top 100 golfers in the world, along with some of the biggest names from LIV.

18 LIV golfers qualify for the upcoming PGA Championship

Last month’s Masters saw the PGA Tour vs. LIV Golf battle pick up steam, with Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, and Patrick Reed besting many PGA Tour rivals to rank among the top 5 on the leaderboard. A week from now, fans can catch the rivalry yet again, as 18 LIV players have qualified for the event.

Past PGA Championship winners Koepka, Mickelson, and Martin Kaymer are among the mix. Talor Gooch, who made history with back-to-back LIV tournament wins last month, is also on the roster. LIV’s Anirban Lahiri had earlier received an invite to the event, after his incredible T2 finish at the International Series Vietnam, which had propelled him to 98th place in the OWGR.

The field list also includes the likes of Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, and Cam Smith, among others.

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Are you excited about the PGA vs. LIV showdown at the upcoming PGA Championship? Who will you be supporting to win the title this year? Let us know in the comments!