If this year's Players Championship was the high point for Sergio Garcia, last year's British Open had to be the cellar.Sergio opened with a 65, followed by rounds of 71-68 at arguably the toughest course in the world, Carnoustie, but faltered on Sunday, making bogeys on 15 and 18 to land in a playoff with eventual champion Padraig Harrington.
No matter the situation, Garcia's putter will always be to blame. He hits the ball like Zeus on the links, but handles the putter like an elephant giving acupuncture. It's always been his nemesis, but after last week's second place finish in the European Open, Sergio is singing a whole different jingle.
"I managed to putt really well," Garcia said. "Now I know what Tiger (Woods) feels 98 percent of the time when he gets on the greens, so it's a great feeling."This new confidence comes from a final round 66 where he needed only 21 putts, which conveniently equates to just 1.17 strokes per green.
"It was definitely the best putting round I've ever had," he said.It wasn't just a fluke round either, Garcia ended the week at the London Golf Club second in putts per green and 11th in putts per round.
With the British steamrolling our way in just nine days, and Woods obviously out of the field, Garcia might just be making his way to the top of the favorites list. In 1998, the last time the tournament was held at Royal Birkdale, Sergio finished in a t-29 as an amateur.
He will always be one of the best ball-strikers at any given tournament, so if that he can figure out Mr. Three Wiggle, Spain might have another champion to celebrate.
