Garcia facing fine for withdrawal from PGA Championship

Jul 16, 2022; St. Andrews, SCT; Sergio Garcia reacts after his second shot on the 13th hole during the third round of the 150th Open Championship golf tournament. Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

LIV Golf-defect Sergio Garcia facing fine for withdrawal from BMW PGA Championship

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 9/13/22

As a member of the LIV Golf Series, Sergio Garcia's participation in last weekend's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth was already contentious. Now, it turns out that his early withdrawal from the tournament may have landed him in some hot water.

According to an ESPN report from Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero, Garcia faces a fine from the DP World Tour following his early exit. The 2017 Masters champion pulled out before the second round of the tournament after an opening-round 76 and was then pictured at the college football game between Alabama and Texas on Saturday.

"The DP World Tour's handbook states that 'a player is not entitled to withdraw at the conclusion of the first round or during the play of any round of a tournament except for 'emergency reasons or medical circumstances deemed reasonable by the tournament director,'" Lopez-Menchero wrote. "The DP World Tour confirmed to ESPN on Tuesday that Garcia had not provided a reason for leaving the tournament and that he could be liable for a fine in line with its general regulations for members stated in their handbook."

Furthermore, the handbook says that "written evidence of medical circumstances" must be forwarded to the tournament director or entries department within 21 days of the player's withdrawal, and "a player not observing this regulation will be fined."

Shane Lowry, who is still a member of the European and PGA Tours, captured the BMW PGA Championship on Sunday.

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