After the frustration of lacking out on The Open, Sergio Garcia secured a primary particular person LIV Golf win, having fun with victory on house soil in Sotogrande, Spain.
Garcia needed to beat Anirban Lahiri in a playoff to take the victory on Sunday.
The Spaniard shot a third-round 66 at Actual Membership Valderrama to complete at 5 underneath par and meet up with previous-round chief Lahiri. Garcia then prevailed within the playoff and can obtain a $4m (£3.1m) prize for profitable the occasion.
Anirban Lahiri couldn’t maintain on to his in a single day lead. (Picture by Chris Trotman/LIV Golf by way of AP)
For Garcia the triumph at this course in Spain was a particular second.
“It’s been hard losing a couple of playoffs this year, being really close to qualifying for The Open and trying to make it my 100th major, just missing [out] like 10 days ago. It’s been a roller coaster for sure,” he mentioned afterwards.
“But I knew I was playing well. I love this place. I love these people. So thankful to everyone for what we were able to achieve today.”
He added: “I may be flawed, however I feel that if the soccer staff wins tonight, it might be most likely one of many largest days within the historical past of Spanish sports activities, I’d say. [Carlos] Alcaraz profitable [Wimbledon], us profitable each individually and as a staff, after which the nationwide staff profitable the Euro Cup.
“It would be amazing to have all those four things happen in the same day. It would be amazing.”
He’s decided to nonetheless characteristic in main championships.
“Obviously played the qualifier like 10 days ago for The Open and just missing out, I know even more how hard it is and how important the majors are, and I still want to play as many as I can,” he mentioned.
“Hopefully things get better and we start getting spots coming into some of the majors, but if not, I’ll just keep playing qualifiers until my body says enough is enough.”
This was his fourth playoff in LIV Golf and the primary one he’d received. It was the primary title Garcia had earned since he joined the brand new Saudi-backed circuit in 2022.
Jon Rahm, one other house favorite, completed in a tie for tenth in his first house occasion since becoming a member of LIV Golf.
Garcia’s Fireballs staff additionally received the staff title on the match in southern Spain after profitable a playoff over the Crushers themselves – the primary time in LIV Golf that each particular person and staff titles had been determined in a playoff.
Tyrrell Hatton got here in in third place and appears ahead to The Open (Picture by Jon Ferrey/LIV Golf by way of AP)
England’s Tyrell Hatton completed in third place at 4 underneath.
“I felt pretty gutted for Lahiri,” Hatton mentioned. “It was a bit awkward on the 18th green with the crowd because they wanted Sergio to win.
“I feel everybody thought it will be carried out there, and sadly for Lahiri and the Crushers, they ended up having to enter a playoff.
“That’s definitely going to sting a lot for those guys. From my point of view, nice to have another good week going into the Open.”
What’s subsequent?
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