Having made a rousing start to the inaugural Race to Dubai with his victory in last week’s HSBC Champions, Sergio Garcia has now set his sights on winning his maiden Major Championship and toppling Tiger Woods from the World Number One spot.
The Spaniard gained a headstart on his rivals in The Race to Dubai by seeing off Ryder Cup team-mate Oliver Wilson of England in a play-off at Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, China.
His thrilling triumph took Garcia’s tally of European Tour titles to eight, but so far in his illustrious career a victory at one of the four Major Championships has eluded him.
The 28 year old has three runner-up finishes to his name: twice in the US PGA Championship and in The Open Championship last year, when he lost out in a play off to Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, who again pipped him to the prize at Oakland Hills Country Club this year.
But Garcia is determined to go one better in 2009, a year which – if he continues in the same vein – could also mark his ascent to World Number One.
Garcia’s HSBC Champions win saw him climb to second in the Official World Golf Rankings, the first time a European has claimed the Number Two place for 12 years.
He said: “The next goal is definitely to win a Major, because I’ve been trying for quite a while now. I’ve been close a few times before. I’ve also never been closer to the Number One position. To overtake Tiger will depend on how much time he takes off, and whether I can keep playing well. It’s definitely possible because he’s been injured. But as soon as he comes back I’m sure he’s going to pick up where he left off, and become tough to beat again.
“When you talk about Tiger, you’re talking about the kind of player you don’t see often in history. There’s very few like him – if there’s ever been one like him. So it’s exciting to be close to him, to be playing in the same era as him. It’s a great learning experience. I think he’s driven everybody else to a new level, so all I can do is keep doing what I’m doing and hope that takes me as high as possible.”
Following his flying start, Garcia has every chance of succeeding Robert Karlsson as Europe’s Number One. Indeed, on the back of his victory in China Garcia has been installed as the bookmakers’ favourite to win The Race to Dubai, which culminates in the world’s richest golf tournament, the Dubai World Championship on November 19-22, 2009.
That US$10 million showpiece will be played on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, the sister course to the Garcia-designed Wind Course.
Garcia has been a vocal supporter of The Race to Dubai since its inception, and would be a popular winner should he lift the Harry Vardon Trophy – a feat he has never before achieved.
He said: “The Race to Dubai represents a real statement of intent by The European Tour. The Tour has clearly moved up a notch in its ability to attract the best players in the world, and Dubai has strengthened its reputation as a centre of world golf. It will certainly help focus the players’ attention throughout the season, and I for one will be desperate to play in the Dubai World Championship.
“Everybody I have talked to on both sides of the Atlantic is very positive about this development. The Race to Dubai is a great idea, and will take The European Tour and European golf to a whole new level. We’re all very excited and looking forward to the rest of the season.
“A great week for me personally in Shanghai was the perfect start to the season, as it allowed me to build up some winnings for The Race to Dubai standings. I was pleased with last season, but I believe I can take some big steps forward this season, and Shanghai was a great start.”
After collecting €650,382 in prize money in Shanghai, Garcia is all but assured one of the 60 places available at the Dubai World Championship, provided he plays a further ten European Tour events between now and then.
Having played 13 events en route to ninth place on the final Order of Merit with earnings of €1,591,917 last year, Garcia seems almost certain to surpass the achievements of a season which yielded one European Tour victory at the CASTELLÓ MASTERS Costa Azahar in his homeland.
The Spaniard has few peers in his unerring accuracy from tee to green, but has perhaps in the past been let down by some wayward putting.
However, with those days now seemingly behind him – he averaged just 1.68 putts per hole on the final day at Sheshan International Golf Club – Garcia could well be the man to catch this year.
He said: “I’ve been working very hard to get a nice rhythm on my putting stroke, and it seems to be working. I’ve been concentrating on making sure my set-up is right, and that my hands are further forward.
“It felt great on the final day of the HSBC Champions – I felt like I hit some good putts. I holed some nice putts, and then there were two or three which were really nice but unfortunately didn’t drop. But the most important thing is that even if you don’t make them, at least you feel they have a chance of going in when they come off the face. Last week was the most comfortable I’ve felt with my putter for a long time.”
To cap a memorable week, Garcia became the first European since England’s Harry Cooper in 1937 to win the US PGA Tour’s Vardon Trophy, awarded to the player with the lowest scoring average.
Over 72 rounds Garcia averaged 69.12 strokes, with America’s Phil Mickelson – who he superseded as World Number Two – in second place on 69.17.
