Sergio Garcia misses out on Open berth after botching three-foot putt
Sergio Garcia has suffered his fair share of Open Championship heartache over the past three decades and on Sunday the two-time runner-up penned a new painful chapter in this torrid story of close calls.
Faced with a three-footer for a birdie that would have punched his ticket to Royal Portrush in July – and returned the Spaniard to what his “favourite major” for the first time in three years – he agonisingly pushed the tiddler wide.
It meant Jason Kokrak joined fellow LIV rebels Patrick Reed and the winner Carlos Ortiz as the trio who earned berths from the Asian Tour International Series event in Macau. If Garcia had converted successfully, he would have come joint-third with Kokrak, but would have been granted the spot because of his higher world ranking.
It was a genuine case of ‘hit the hole or bust’ and, although he did not speak to media afterwards, those present at the layout in the Chinese city reported that Garcia was clearly shell-shocked.
If the 45-year-old now fails to find another route to the Dunluce links, this moment will inevitably hurt terribly. Garcia has a Green Jacket in his locker, but he makes no secret of the fact that the Claret Jug is the title he craves above all others. “I have so much history in the Open,” he once told Telegraph Sport. “It is my lifelong dream to win it and I will never stop trying.”
He was a 16-year-old amateur when he made his debut at Royal Lytham and has played in 24 more Opens since then, racking up 10 top-10s. That is a fine record, but Garcia’s Open odyssey has been marked by despair and what could have been.
The picture of the teenager crying in the arms of his mother following an 18-over 89 at Carnoustie in 1999 has long since entered golfing folklore – and when this natural links performer has thrust himself into contention his experiences have still been defined by rancour.
At the 2006 Open he was put in his place by his nemesis Tiger Woods – Garcia dressed all in yellow for the final round at Hoylake and Woods later messaged a friend “I just splattered Tweetie Pie” – as he tailed off in fifth. And then, the next year, when he seemed certain to prevail he bogeyed the last, before being beaten in a play-off by another bitter rival in Padraig Harrington.
Some will believe that Garcia has been put out of his Open misery early on this occasion, but he still has at least two more opportunities to book his spot – and not just at final qualifying, the last-chance saloon in which he fell two shots shy last year.
This is the first year that the R&A has granted LIV a direct pathway to the 153rd Open via its money list. Following LIV Golf Dallas in June, the top-ranked player in the top five of the LIV standings who has not already qualified for the major will be awarded a place at it.
At the moment, Garcia is third on the order of merit and with the two players ahead – Joaquín Niemann and Jon Rahm already qualified – the veteran is in the box seat in that particular race. The 45-year-old’s first job is to remain in that position for the next three LIV events, as that will see him take the US Open place offered for the first time by the US Golf Association.
As Garcia tries to obtain an unlikely Ryder Cup return for September’s match in New York, he understands the importance of highlighting his good form to Europe captain Luke Donald in the majors, as well as on LIV, where he has been playing well, with two wins in the past eight events.
Elsewhere, Donald will be delighted with Viktor Hovland’s victory in the Valspar Championship in Tampa. The Norwegian had missed three consecutive cuts and fallen from world No 3 to 19th as his form nosedived. Yet he bounced back in great style to win his seventh PGA Tour title by denying Justin Thomas.
Hovland was three shots down to the American with four holes remaining, but as Thomas unravelled, the 27-year-old birdied the 16th and 17th to post a 67 for an 11-under total on the demanding Copperhead layout to prevail by one.
Hovland now moves back into the world’s top 10 and Donald will be mighty glad to see one of his strike weapons in the groove again. European players have won six of the past nine titles on the US circuit.
Topics
-
Monday Leaderboard: Missed three-foot putt costs Sergio Garcia a spot in Open Championship
A missed three-foot putt costs Sergio Garcia a spot in the Open Championship. Plus: Hovland's big win, TGL's championship, and never whack a sprinkler head.Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Garcia misses 3-footer, loses chance at The Open
Sergio Garcia's missed 3-foot putt cost him a spot in the Open Championship.ESPN - 1d -
Three LIV players punch Open tickets after Sergio Garcia's misses short putt
Garcia's miss left him a shot shy of Jason Kokrak, who finished third at the International Series Macau to join winner Carlos Ortiz and Patrick Reed in qualifying for The Open this summer.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Monday Leaderboard: Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson turn back the clock
Sergio and Phil are back! Plus: Henley's tourney-winning shot, and Dustin Johnson finished where?Yahoo Sports - Mar. 10 -
Monterrey's Sergio Ramos gets 30th career red
Sergio Ramos was sent off in the final minutes of Monterrey's victory over UNAM on Sunday, his first dismissal since he moved to Liga MX.ESPN - Mar. 17 -
Garcia wins in Hong Kong; Phil on 1st LIV podium
Sergio Garcia carded a 7-under 63 to capture a double victory at LIV Golf Hong Kong, winning both the individual and team titles. Phil Mickelson shot a 64 to stand on his first podium as a LIV member.ESPN - Mar. 10 -
Fanmio sues boxer Garcia, promoter Golden Boy
Fanmio is suing boxer Ryan Garcia and his promoter, Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy, after Garcia pulled out of a December 2024 pay-per-view event that was set to air on the streaming platform.ESPN - Mar. 14 -
Nikki Garcia Hints She's Getting Back in the WWE Ring: 'It's Going to Happen'
Nikki Garcia opened up about pushing through challenges and her plan to return to the WWE ring on her podcastYahoo Sports - Mar. 13 -
West Virginia blasts three home runs, win Big 12 opener over Oklahoma State
After fires and weather in the Stillwater area, the first two games of the series between West Virginia and Oklahoma State were canceled, the two teams were able to play game three on Sunday from ...Yahoo Sports - Mar. 16
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Will Wade 'paid' for misdeeds at LSU. Now, he's thankful for a 2nd power-conference shot at NC State
Will Wade stood on stage, hearing the applause from Wolfpack supporters enthralled with his vision of turning a tradition-rich men’s basketball program back into a consistent Atlantic Coast ...Yahoo Sports - 14m -
SEC coach vouches for playmaking receiver to be drafted by Patriots
Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz believes the New England Patriots drafting wide receiver Luther Burden III makes sense.Yahoo Sports - 17m -
Clemson transfer wide receiver Tristan Smith impressing in spring camp
Clemson has a lot of talent at wide receiver, with transfer portal newcomer Tristan Smith impressing Garrett Riley so far this spring.Yahoo Sports - 20m -
Clemson transfer wide receiver Tristan Smith impressing in spring camp
Clemson has a lot of talent at wide receiver, with transfer portal newcomer Tristan Smith impressing Garrett Riley so far this spring.Yahoo Sports - 20m -
Cam Ward is poised to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft — and the right fantasy football fit for the Titans
Cam Ward has been surging up NFL Draft boards.Yahoo Sports - 22m
More in Sports
-
Women's Sweet 16 rankings: UConn is No. 1, USC holds tight at No. 4 as Trojans await word on Watkins
The Sweet 16 is set, and there's a new No. 1. But all eyes are on USC and injured JuJu Watkins.ESPN - 10m -
Picks, predictions, key players for every women's Sweet 16 game
Why might every Sweet 16 team win its regional semifinal matchup in Birmingham and Spokane? We predict the winners.ESPN - 10m -
Picks, predictions, key players for every women's Sweet 16 game
Why might every Sweet 16 team win its regional semifinal matchup in Birmingham and Spokane? We predict the winners.ESPN - 10m -
2025 Houston Open picks, odds, field: Surprising predictions from golf model that's nailed 13 majors
SportsLine's model simulated the 2025 Texas Children's Houston Open 10,000 times and revealed its surprising PGA Tour golf picksCBS Sports - 13m -
Will Wade 'paid' for misdeeds at LSU. Now, he's thankful for a 2nd power-conference shot at NC State
Will Wade stood on stage, hearing the applause from Wolfpack supporters enthralled with his vision of turning a tradition-rich men’s basketball program back into a consistent Atlantic Coast ...Yahoo Sports - 14m