Garcia hoping to shed unwanted tag

Sergio Garcia hopes to continue the streak of first-time winners and finally rid himself of the tag of ‘best player not to have won a major’ this week.

Jason Day won his first major title in last year’s US PGA Championship, and 2016 has also produced maiden major winners in Danny Willett (Masters), Dustin Johnson (US Open) and Henrik Stenson (Open Championship).

“I would love to make it five in a row,” Garcia told a pre-tournament press conference at Baltusrol.

“It’s a long week. My goal is to play well, to give myself another shot at winning a tournament, winning a major, and then see what I can come up with.”

After falling out of contention in the 2012 Masters, Garcia said he felt he was not good enough to win a major and he has recorded a total of 22 top-10 finishes, including ties for fifth at Oakmont and Royal Troon this season.

“I think that probably the way I look at things now has changed a little bit,” the world No 10 added.

“Experience and age has definitely made me a little bit calmer out on the course.

“Before, if I made a couple of bogeys, I would get a little bit angry.

“Now I seem to take it a little bit easier.”

Garcia was also encouraged to see the 40-year-old Stenson win his first major with a record-breaking performance which relegated the 46-year-old Phil Mickelson to second place.

“Henrik, when I saw him on Monday at my event in Switzerland, he said, you know, I’m 40, you’re 36: you still have probably 16 more (majors) before you get there,” the Spanish Ryder Cup star added.

Picture: Getty. Mellowed with age: Sergio Garcia reflects on his US PGA chances at Baltusrol.