Sergio in green for our PGA
MASTERS champion Sergio Garcia (pictured) will headline the Australian PGA Championship field in December after announcing his first trip Down Under in seven years.
The PGA of Australia yesterday revealed the world No.5 would tee up at its flagship event on the Gold Coast for the first time in the Spaniard’s career.
The Australian PGA Championship, to be held November 30-December 3 at Royal Pines, has grown in stature since being co-sanctioned with the European Tour in 2015.
Australian PGA boss Gavin Kirkman is confident some homegrown stars will join Garcia at the event.
World No.6 Jason Day and fellow Queenslander Adam Scott have indicated their intent to play in Australia this summer and Kirkman said he was in talks with both players.
In April, Garcia, 37, claimed the Masters’ green jacket by defeating Englishman Justin Rose in a playoff at Augusta National — his maiden major title after 73 attempts ending one of the longest active droughts in golf’s four majors.
“I am privileged to have a green jacket and have enjoyed wearing it at other sporting events throughout the year,” he said. “I will definitely be bringing the green jacket with me to the Gold Coast.”
Garcia’s last visit to Australia came in 2010, when he contested the now defunct Masters at Victoria alongside 14-time major champion Tiger Woods.
In June, Day revealed plans to play in Australia for the first time since 2013, when he won the golf World Cup individual title and teams category with countryman Adam Scott.
While the 2015 US PGA Championship winner said he would play either the Australian Open or the PGA, he said there was strong incentive to choose Royal Pines.
“I was thinking about it recently, I can’t remember the last time I was in Queensland so it would be nice to be able to play the PGA Championship in my home state, close to where I have family,” Day said in June.
Defending champion Harold Varner III is yet to confirm his defence of the title.