Golf World UK - August 2017

12 Golf WorldAugust 2017

the best player to have only won

one major.” He laughed again. “I

can live with that.”

We are certain he can live with

it, but we are not sure whether he

is going to have to. We say this

because surely now that a player

of his ability has learned how to

win a major, he’ll surely add more.

“He has the talent to contend

in more majors and logic would

suggest that he is now better

equipped to take these

opportunities, so, yes, I think

he will win more majors,” says

BBC Radio 5 Live’s Iain Carter.

“But there are obviously no

guarantees. We are currently on

a run of six consecutive first-time

major winners, which shows that

winning multiple majors is more

difficult than it has ever been.”

Sergio vs. history

History is also against Garcia.

Out of the last 10 golfers to win

their first major at the age of 37

or over, so far only Angel Cabrera

and Mark O’Meara have gone on

to secure further major titles. And

out of the six other modern

players to wait 45 majors or more

for their first victory (see box,

right), so far only Phil Mickelson

and O’Meara have gone on to

record further major victories.

“I think you can draw parallels

between Garcia and O’Meara, but

perhaps a better comparison

would be Padraig Harrington,”

says Carter. “Like Garcia,

Harrington was in his mid-30s

when he won his first major at

Carnoustie in 2007. And like

Garcia, he got the job done in a

play-off after missing a golden

chance to win on the final hole of

regulation. That experience, and

the fact he then knew he had

what it took to be a major

champion, changed and

emboldened Harrington. You

could see from the piercing look

in his eyes and the way he seized

themomentinthe2008Openat

Birkdale and the 2008 US PGA at

Oakland Hills that once you make

it across that line once it becomes

much easier to close things out.”

The new Garcia

Once upon a time, mention of

name Harrington would bring

steam to Garcia’s ears. But the

stars are now on better terms

after holding clear the air talks at

Rory McIlroy’s wedding. “Sergio

made it very easy,” says Padraig.

“He was exceptionally good

about it and already well

informed, which was nice.”

This revelation gives weight to

thenotionthatGarciahasgrown

asapersonoverthelastfew

years. “His more mature outlook

was very noticeable in his winner’s

press conference,” agrees Iain

Carter. “There was a sense that

while it was massively satisfying

for him to have finally won a

major title, he had reached a

point in his life where he realised

that he didn’t need that major

title in order to be complete. And

I think that this realisation helped

him to get over the final hurdle.”

“I am very happy, but I don’t

feel any different,” admits Garcia.

“Major or no major, I have an

amazinglife,andI’mstillthe

same goofy guy.”

Weight of expectation

But on that last claim, Sergio is

wrong: he isn’t the same guy and

won’t ever be again. He is now,

at long last, a major champion,

which brings with it excitement,

exemptions and expectations.

“I don’t recall anyone predicting

that Sergio would win the

Masters in the build up to

Augusta, but now he has won

that title he will go into every

major with much more buzz

THEONESTHAT

GOT AWAY

SLOWSUCCESS

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Masters DNP DNP DNP T38 T40 CUT 8 T28 T4 CUT 46 CUT CUT T38 T

US Open DNP DNP DNP DNP T46 T12 4 T35 T20 T3 CUT CUT T18 T10 T

Open CUT DNP T29 CUT T36 T9 T8 T10 CUT T5 T5 2 T5 1 T38 T

PGA DNP DNP DNP 2 T34 CUT T10 CUT CUT T23 T3 DQ T2 CUT CUT

The 19-year-old finished within a

stroke of champion Tiger Woods.

A case of ‘when’ and not ‘if’.

No real near miss: in final group but

four behind Tiger Woods after 54

holes, ended six adrift by the end.

One ahead with three to play,

two bogeys handed another

major to Padraig Harrington.

Had a 10ft putt for victory.

Lipped out and lost in play-off

to Padraig Harrington.

CUT

4

T

T5 1

‘ObviouslyI’m37,not22or25anymore,butI’mpretty

I’m excited because I still feel like I have a lot of great

Sergio and the other major winners

who needed patience to prevail.

74 majors, 21-year wait: 1996-2017.

SERGIO GARCIA 74 MAJORS

59 majors, 18-year wait: 1980-1998. Won one more.

MARK O’MEARA 59

48majors,13-yearwait:2000-2013.Hisonlymajor.

ADAM SCOTT 48

73majors,22-year wait: 1970-1992.Hisonlymajor.

TOM KITE 73

54 majors, 20-year wait: 1991-2011. His only major.

DARREN CLARKE 54

48 majors, 13-year wait: 1996-2009. His only major.

STEWART CINK 48

47 majors, 14-year wait: 1990-2004. Won four more.

PHIL MICKELSON 47

CUT

DQ