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McIlroy had said in September that his
relationship with some of his former Ryder Cup team mates was
damaged by their decision to join the breakaway circuit, and the
latter led to biting remarks between the two in public.
However, the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and rival LIV circuit,
which had been involved in a bitter fight that split the sport,
earlier in June announced an agreement to merge and form one
unified commercial entity.
"I think it's great," Garcia said ahead of this week's LIV event
at Valderrama.
"In my personal opinion, I wish this would have happened a year
and a half ago when we all started, and it would have been
better for all of us. I really think so."
The Spaniard said that it was during the recent U.S. Open that
he and the Northern Irishman resumed their friendship, which
goes way back before they played together on the European Ryder
Cup team.
"The U.S. Open was a great event for me," Garcia said.
"I finished 27th ... I feel like I played well. But more than
anything, because I gained a friend back, a friend that I kind
of felt like I lost in the last year or so."
The 43-year-old revealed their reunion may not have been
possible without the support of their wives.
"Angela, and Erica, they said 'Hi' to each other at the U.S.
Open, and there was a nice text from Rory to (Garcia's wife
Angela), and that kind of gave me the incentive to reach out to
him," Garcia said.
"I think that at the end of the day, the important thing is that
we got together and talked - we were two friends that wanted to
get back to that spot. No doubt it was the saddest part of all
of this, these friendships turning sour."
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Christian
Radnedge)
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