He had not won in the United States since his 2017 victory at The Masters, and just this week he had dropped out of the World Top 50 for the first time in years. They were two data that should not have pleased its protagonist, Sergio Garcia. But the latter, far from lamenting, has turned the situation around with a magnificent victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship.
The eleventh triumph of the Spaniard in the main stage of world golf has been written by a scriptwriter with refined golfing taste: the final trick consisted of an exquisite iron on his 72nd hole of the week with which he made the last birdie of the week, number 22.
Sergio Garcia set his course for victory with a fantastic third round that put him in the co-lead. An excellent 66 -six birdies with no errors- after two 68s put him in the best place for the final day. Australian Cameron Davis and American J.T. Poston shared the lead with him, but they were by no means the only threat; Brandt Snedeker and Keegan Bradley were one and two strokes behind, respectively.
However, this Sunday the player who jumped to the lead in the final round was Peter Malnati, who rode the good wave, the one with birdies, and landed in the clubhouse with a spectacular 63 (-9) that made him move up fourteen positions. With the American’s -18 already on the board, Sergio Garcia had no choice but to deduct strokes to, at least, force him to earn the victory in a play-off playoff.
The Spaniard alternated birdies with some bogey in the first nine holes to consolidate himself as the main alternative to Malnati, but he was still missing some more birdies. And his efforts were suddenly rewarded with an eagle at the 14th to equal his rival at -18. With four holes to play, any hit or miss would be almost definitive.
And then came his outrageous iron on the 18th. A signature stroke with which he left the ball three or four feet from the hole. A winning shot, typical of a player of his quality. One of the best golfers of the last decades. A simple putt, to the inside and the eleventh title in the United States, in his pocket.
Sergio Garcia’s eleventh victory in the United States has come almost two decades after his first at the Colonial Invitational. Then he won with only two years of experience as a professional with two strokes ahead of Phil Mickelson and Bryan Gay.
Golf has changed since then, and so has Sergio García. Between one triumph and another, the Spaniard has won a Major, that unforgettable Masters of 2017, has become the player with the most points won in the Ryder Cup and has conquered titles as relevant as The Players in 2008. What has not changed is that he is still one of the players with the best hands on the circuit.
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