Garcia revels in Masters aftermath, Classico cheers

MIAMI: Sergio Garcia, who returns to competition this week after winning the Masters, said Wednesday he has been most gratified by cheers from his peers and a “Classico” football appearance.

Garcia, who tees off Thursday afternoon at the US PGA Players Championship, captured his first major title after 73 failures last month at Augusta National, downing England’s Justin Rose in a playoff to claim the coveted green jacket symbolic of Masters champions.

In the four weeks off since then, Garcia has relaxed and celebrated and notably worn the jacket on April 23 when he appeared at the Barcelona-Real Madrid showdown at Real’s 70-year-old home stadium for a 3-2 Barcelona victory.

“I’ve been very fortunate to have amazing cheers and 15,00020,000 people chanting my name at Augusta, Ryder Cups, something like that. It’s unbelievable,” Garcia said.

“But to walk on what I think is the best stadium in the world, the Bernabeu, in a Classico against Barcelona, which is probably the biggest football game that exists in this world, and to have 90,000 people chanting your name, that was extremely special.”

Garcia admitted the moment was as nerve-wracking as any highpressure putt he has ever faced.

“I was nervous. And I was only kicking the ball 15 yards,” Garcia said of his magic moment. — AFP