LIV Golfer and 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia won’t play at the U.S. Open this year at Oakmont after failing to qualify.
The Spaniard hasn’t missed the tournament since 1999, finishing in the top ten five times during that run.
He took part in the final qualifying event at Bent Tree Country Club in Dallas, but rounds of 65 and 71 meant he fell one stroke short of a playoff.
If he had made par on the final hole, Garcia would have entered a seven-for-one playoff for a spot at Oakmont.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be for the 45-year-old, and this surely sets him back even more with regards to making the Ryder Cup team for the match at Bethpage Black.
U.S. Open heartbreak harms Ryder Cup chances
The former Masters champion played at the recent PGA Championship but finished near the bottom of the field.
After his final round, Garcia spoke to the media and his Ryder Cup chances were discussed.
“The way I’m playing, even if Luke offered me a pick right now, I would tell him no,” Garcia told the press.
“Obviously, I need to get better. I need to get back to where I was just before the Masters. You know, just show myself and show everyone that my game is solid, and it can help Team Europe. It’s as simple as that.
“The good thing is that there’s still, you know, two or three months until the team is finalised. So, I’ll have time to gain some confidence and improve a little bit on my game.”
It is a chance missed for Garcia to impress Luke Donald—Europe’s Ryder Cup captain—especially as he recorded an impressive 12th place finish at Pinehurst No.2 last year.
Unless something extraordinary happens for him between now and August, it appears as though Europe’s record points scorer in the competition won’t be a part of the team in New York.
The end of a remarkable era indeed.
