Sergio García needs to stop taking swipes for the good of his reputation | Ewan Murray

Life has apparently turned sour for the LIV rebel, with digs at Luke Donald, Rory McIlroy and a Ryder Cup snub

There once was a swashbuckling young Spaniard named Sergio. When Señor García burst on to the golf scene more than two decades ago, there was excitement about a player who was carefree on the course and had a twinkle in his eye off it. The expectation was that García would win a lot more than the solitary major that has come his way – the 2017 Masters – but a combined 27 victories between the DP World and PGA Tours still make the 43-year-old one of the finest players of his generation.

We are, however, entitled to ask why life apparently turned so sour for García. Going by the guide books, his 2022 switch to LIV Golf should have afforded him professional harmony. The rebel tour has been handed fresh impetus by the success of Brooks Koepka at the US PGA Championship.