Being 0-73 in anything is pretty embarrassing. For Sergio Garcia, the 37-year-old golfer had not won in 73 starts at a major championship. All that changed on Sunday, April 9. After out-dueling Justin Rose in a playoff and finishing the tournament at nine under par, Garcia was finally able to put on the green jacket and bask in his glory on the sport’s biggest stage.
For years, Garcia had been known as a choker. And at times on Sunday, it looked as though his mental game would once again fail his supremely talented physical tools on the course. But after years of immature breakdowns at press conferences and unwarranted outbursts at course officials, Garcia gave the fans of Augusta, Ga. what they have yearned for for years, a story of redemption.
In his 74th major championship start, Spain native Sergio Garcia beat Englishman Justin Rose in a dramatic playoff to take home the green jacket. Instagram/Golf Digest
Sunday’s battle between two of golf’s best players gave viewers a matchup of a lifetime. Rose, a meticulous player who calculates every shot was up against a matador in Garcia, a risk taker who had finally come of age enough to earn this moment in front of the raucous Master’s crowd.
After Rose’s tee shot found the pine needles in the first hole of the playoff, Garcia blasted his drive down the fairway to set up a perfect second shot that would next find its way just 12 feet from the hole on the green. Rose’s approach shot fell short of the green and it was time for Garcia to put the finishing touches on a victory that had been 19 years in the making.
Rose would eventually settle for bogey and Garcia subsequently sunk his birdie putt to the uproar of the crowd. After putting the green jacket on and lifting The Master’s trophy, his dream had been made a reality and an ending like this could happen nowhere else but in Augusta at The Masters.
In other news during the tournament, Jordan Spieth again faltered on Sunday as the 23-year-old magician shot three over on the afternoon to finish at one under for the tournament. Playing partner Rickie Fowler also had a rough day as the human highlighter shot four over to tie Spieth for 11th overall place in the event.
Nobody believed that Garcia could win a major, but no one can predict what will happen in Augusta each spring and that is what makes this place so legendary. Once a renowned villain, Garcia finally walked off the course as a hero and deservedly so this time.
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