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Sergio's 1st Major

JB

JB

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I believe that Sergio will win a major sooner rather than later. Do most of you agree, and if so when? My pick is next year's PGA Championship.
 
I agree. The only point of difference being the tournament. I think he may have a burning desire to pick up the British Open title & erase his 2007 memory there. Different from a lot of the players on the U.S. tour (said with the utmost of respect), Sergio has proven he can play the wild conditions of the links courses.
 
I thought Sergio was going to win one in the year or two after his second place finish at the PGA in 1999 (who can forget him hitting the shot by the tree and running up the hill to see where it went!). But since then he has missed 10 cuts in 36 tries (and at least one each year since 2002, that's 7 of the last 24). When he makes the cut, he gets a lot of top 10s (13 in 21 cuts made since the 2001 U.S. Open, where he finished 12th).

But he seems to be snakebit. I liked Sergio a lot when he was younger and pulled for him to duel with Tiger every Major. But for some reason, he seems to falter at golf's biggest stages. (Ryder Cups generally excluded). So while I still hope for him to finally break through and win a major, until he can actually do it, I can't say that I see him winning one any time soon. Not that he doesn't have the tools, more that it seems to be his destiny to be the "Best Player Never to Win a Major." I hope I'm wrong, because whether he admits it or not, it HAS to be weighing on him. Which may help explain why it hasn't happened yet.
 
he's always threatening to win ANY tournament, well, almost.

pretty darn good.
 
Without trying to labour the point about Sergio, I believe there is a subtle change to him. He is seriously competing in big tournaments. I think he has a different fire in his eye. Sort of like, he's taken a short step to a new level but it's so subtle it's easy to miss. He didn't win a FedEx Cup tournament or the PGA but he was there seriously breathing down the winner's necks. Contrast that with Vijay (who I respect) who rolls into the FedEx Cup wins the first two & then doesn't rate for the next two but Sergio was there competing over the four. I think the Anthony Kim NBT wave might have given Sergio the prod that he needed.

There are different roads to winning majors. I think Sergio is taking the road he needed to take.

It'll be interesting to see.
 
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... and Sergio wins!!!

... and Sergio wins!!!

Sergio Garcia dedicated his first European Tour win since 2005 to Seve Ballesteros after victory in the CASTELLÓ MASTERS Costa Azahar on the course he played as a boy.

The 28 year old, hosting the inaugural event at the Club de Campo del Mediterráneo where his father is still the host professional, closed with a four under par 67 to finish three shots ahead of Sweden's Peter Hedblom, who signed for a 66, and five clear of Alexander Noren (65).​

Well done Sergio.
 
I think Sergio is right on the brink of winning a Major.

I'm not sure which he has the best chance to win, but I personally think that first major win will come at Augusta. He's got the length to win there, and if he can get his putting down then I think he can win it. I mean his ball striking is immaculate, and his wedge play is usually good enough, with the occasional amazing play. He just needs to get that putter going and he will win.
 
Pressure is a powerful thing... I think once he gets his first it will be smooth sailing from then on. Its just a matter of him getting his first. I 'm not sure when he will get it, but i bet anybody on this website when he does he will get his second within the same year.
 
I have always liked Sergio and have been very impressed with him this year. No, he didn't win as many as he could have but he seems to always be in the mix. Maybe the biggest thing I'm noticing with the new Sergio is that he's more mature. He's always had talent but seemed to lack the mental toughness the top players have. I think he'll win his first major next year and I'm going to be happy to see him do it.
 
Jimmy The Pins said:
Pressure is a powerful thing... I think once he gets his first it will be smooth sailing from then on. Its just a matter of him getting his first. I 'm not sure when he will get it, but i bet anybody on this website when he does he will get his second within the same year.
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What if it's the PGA Championship? :wink:
 
Smallville said:
I thought Sergio was going to win one in the year or two after his second place finish at the PGA in 1999 (who can forget him hitting the shot by the tree and running up the hill to see where it went!).
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One of the greatest shots in major history,...!

I think he'll win one, and end up with maybe 3, first up,.. The Open
Championship (we call it the British Open)
 
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... and at that end of the second round of the Volvo Masters, Sergio is tied for second at 4 under par.
 
.... and Sergio finishes tied for 4th (with Lee Westwood) at 4 under par overall.

An interesting quote from the below link about world rankings if Sergio had won.

"Sergio Garcia would have gone to number two in the world if he had made it two wins in a row, but after also drawing level with Kjeldsen in the third round it was not to be and he eventually finished in a tie for fourth."

http://www.europeantour.com/default...944}&infosid=3&eventid=2008088&reportid=64720
 
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I won't be placing a bet on Sergio winning a major. Majors are won by great putters; Sergio's putting is suspect within the six foot range. Not sure why that is, his stroke looks good : whatever the reason he has to have a confidence issue with the shorter putts. He is one of the better ball strikers on both Tours (European and US), there would not be another golfer in the world with a better late hit action than Sergio. Will he take the next step and win a major? I certainly hope so, but I doubt that he will achieve it as a single man. Now there is a topic for another thread.
 
Phil has never been a great putter and he broke in and won majors. Players have to have a "hot" putter to win majors to me, not be a good putter.
 
I agree and it takes more than a hot putter most times..chips holed from off the green, from bunkers, long range putts. Majors are won by the best player (who fate smiles on) during that week. I certainly hope you are right.
 
JB said:
Phil has never been a great putter and he broke in and won majors. Players have to have a "hot" putter to win majors to me, not be a good putter.
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razaar said:
I agree and it takes more than a hot putter most times..chips holed from off the green, from bunkers, long range putts. Majors are won by the best player (who fate smiles on) during that week. I certainly hope you are right.
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Gotta disagree here. Phil was 15th on the tour in 2007 in putting. (1.751 putts per GIR). 1988-91 were his worst years putting; since then he has ranged from 1.71 to 1.78 putts per GIR. He has been in the top 15 in putting more often than he has been out of the top 15. Here is the link: http://www.pgatour.com/players/00/18/10/stats/2007.html. You can look at his stats since 1988 from that link.

If anything, I am surprised he putted so poorly early in his career. I remember them always talking about him supplanting Ben Crenshaw as the best putter in golf. I always considered Phil to be an excellent short game player.
 
I reckon a "Sergio 2009" sticky might be a fun idea so we can chart his progress & see how our predictions go.
 
HSBC Champions Tournament

HSBC Champions Tournament

.... and Sergio just won the HSBC Champions Tournament in a play-off over Oliver Wilson. It took 2 attempts at the play-off hole (the 18th) for him to win.

2009 will be very interesting.
 
TheNewBrad said:
.... and Sergio just won the HSBC Champions Tournament in a play-off over Oliver Wilson. It took 2 attempts at the play-off hole (the 18th) for him to win.

2009 will be very interesting.
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I see that Sergio and Greg Norman's daughter Morgan Leigh are still an item. Morgan is a very attractive young lady. Imagine having Greg as a father in law...at least Sergio can talk our slang....not sure how good Greg's spanish is.
 
razaar said:
I see that Sergio and Greg Norman's daughter Morgan Leigh are still an item. Morgan is a very attractive young lady. Imagine having Greg as a father in law...at least Sergio can talk our slang....not sure how good Greg's spanish is.
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I was just watching a replay & was thinking the same thing razaar.
2441.gif
 
i see Anthony Kim was disqualified for "altering" his driver on a sprinkler head, lol. damn golf rules.

"I wasn't angry or anything, just walking down the fairway," Kim said. "The toe hit the sprinkler, hit the top of the sprinkler, and I looked at it and it looked a little bit different. But I wasn't sure and I put it in my bag."
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btw, that should make Sergio #2 now?
 
yes... Sergio is now number 2 in the world. He's pretty amazing! I would love to see him go on a major tear. He's a pretty arrogant golfer, kind of why I like him.
 
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