Laurence Dollimore
SERGIO Garcia has finally won a major after seventy-three attempts.
After four times a runner-up, 12 top fives and 22 top tens, the 37-year-old Spaniard claimed a career-affirming victory at the Augusta National Masters in Georgia, USA.
It comes after 18 seasons of not-quites and might-have-beens which earned him the title ‘best player to never win a major.’
Five years ago, on the same green, he said: “I’m not good enough. I don’t have the thing I need to have. I’ve come to the conclusion that I need to play for second or third place.”
After falling to the back nine and looking down and out, Garcia birdied the first hole of his final round on the Sunday to go a shot clear of frontrunner and Briton Justin Rose before rolling in an eight-foot birdie on the fourth to go two clear.
“I was very calm, much calmer than yesterday (Saturday), much calmer than I’ve felt probably in any major championship,” he said.
He claimed the title in the first extra playoff hole with a 13ft putt after Rose came back to tie in the final round.
