SUPER SERGIO REIGNS IN SPAIN
Sergio garcia’s autumn of such sweet redemption continued when he followed up his stunning ryder cup by triumphing in the weather-plagued andalucia Masters at Valderrama yesterday.
even with a Monday finish, it was still only possible to complete 54 holes but, given garcia’s mastery, he would probably have come out on top no matter how many they had played.
Whether the costa del sol lives up to its name or succumbs to frequent storms like last week, it makes no difference to the 38- year-old, who showed his mettle to hold off a challenge from irishman shane Lowry and pull off a successful defence. garcia also won the title at Valderrama in 2011.
‘i’m very proud to have won around this course on three occasions, because it is so easy to struggle here if you are off your game,’ said the spaniard. ‘it’s a wonderful feeling when you win in your home country. it’s like a dream come true.’
The victory completes garcia’s remarkable recovery from a desperate summer that saw him miss the halfway cut in all four majors. With 11 holes to play yesterday, he held a three-shot lead over Lee Westwood, but the englishman couldn’t replicate his brilliance from the previous day, when he played eight holes in four under par before the storms arrived.
Westwood eventually finished tied fifth after playing his last ten holes in three over, but he wasn’t about to lose perspective. With his son sam, 17, caddying for him for the first time, he tweeted: ‘Not a bad debut, kid.’
instead, it was Lowry who began with three straight birdies to move within a stroke of garcia. Just when he needed to keep pressing, however, the 31-year-old went the other way with a calamitous double bogey at the par three 15th. Trust garcia to take full advantage, with a birdie at the 14th, while a further birdie at the celebrated par-five 17th meant a four-stroke triumph.
While garcia’s morning turned into a spanish stroll, the same could not be said of the poor, angst-ridden souls who were playing nine holes knowing their livelihoods were on the line.
credit, then, to scot richie ramsay, who covered the six holes he had left to play in one under to clamber into the top 116 awarded tour cards for next year.
‘i didn’t sleep the best but i think i came out and proved a lot to myself,’ said the 35-yearold aberdonian. ‘it was arguably the most pressure i have ever felt coming down the stretch.’
as ever, there were hard-luck stories. Mancunian Matt Nixon bogeyed the long 17th when a birdie would have taken him into the top 116.
Fellow englishman callum shinkwin should have won the scottish open last year to earn an exemption until the end of the 2020 season. Now he’s heading back to Q-school after finishing 121st on the list.
ramsay’s fellow scot Marc Warren was earning seven figures a year from 2013 to 2015 and once helped his country to a memorable World cup of golf win, but four dropped shots in five holes around the turn cost him his playing privileges.
italian golf thought they had unearthed a superstar when Matteo Manassero was breaking all sorts of age records for winning tournaments.
Now, at 25, he’s on the outside looking in.
so, too, edoardo Molinari, whose dwindling fortunes offer a stark contrast to those of his brother, Francesco. Perhaps he could share a beer with chase Koepka, who lost his tour card on the day his brother Brooks was confirmed as world No 1.