Second Title for Garcia in 5 Weeks
|
| Just five weeks ago, 24 year old Spaniard Sergio Garcia gave
us notice of his return to form when he won the EDS Byron Nelson Championship. This
weekend he confirmed it by taking his fifth PGA Tour title in the Buick Classic at
Westchester. In 2002, before he decided to make changes to his swing, he was the only
player to finish in the top ten in all four majors. Having already taken a share of fourth
place at the 2004 Masters, who knows what we can expect in the rest of the majors this
year. |
Winner, Sergio Garcia.
Photo - Getty images
|
On Sunday, Garcia started in 8th place, four shots off the
lead and promptly dropped two more shots with bogeys on the 2nd and 3rd holes. A run of
four birdies from the 7th to 10th holes put him into contention. A bogey and three more
birdies on the back nine including one on the final hole gave him a round of 67 and put
him in the clubhouse with the lead on minus 12. |
| It wasn't long before he was joined by
Irishman Padraig Harrington and Rory Sabatinni of South
Africa who both also birdied the 18th to match his total of 272. |
| So it was back to the 18th tee for an international 3-way
sudden death playoff. When Harrington missed a 7 foot birdie putt and they all made par,
play continued on the 17th. This time only two of them made par. Harrington made bogey
after misjudging his chip onto the green. He failed to sink his long par putt and was
eliminated. |
Rory Sabbatini.
(Getty Images)
|
|
Padraig Harrington.
(Getty Images)
|
Back to the 18th again. Garcia's approach finished on the
top level about 7 feet from the flag. Sabbatini's pitch was perfectly on line with the pin
but didn't quite make it to brow and rolled back to about 20 feet. His birdie attempt
missed on the right but Garcia sank his 7-footer to take the title. |
|
| Tied for fourth place, two shots back on 274 where Fred
Couples (68), Vijay Singh (70) and Tom Byrum (71). This was Singh's ninth top ten of the
season and the first time for over a year that Couples has put together back-to-back top
ten finishes. Ernie Els (70) and Phil Mickelson (73) finished tied for 16th place, five
shots further back on 279. |
Vijay Singh.
(Getty Images)
|
|
