Sergio Garcia: "I finally found a way to have fun on the Old Course"

the castellonian Sergio Garcia played his first British Open being a child, in 1996, at Royal Lytham. He won the European amateur title at El Prat last year and that success gave him an automatic place for next year’s edition.

This will be yours 25th Tomorrowand fifth in Saint Andrewsa Grand Slam where he was clearly close to winning twice (2007 and 2014) and where he earned a top ten in 26 years, featuring the playoffs he lost in Carnoustie against Padraig Harrington in 2007 and second place against a bulky Rory McIlroy at Royal Liverpool (Hoylake) in 2014.

He played another edition as a rookie, in 1998, at Royal Birkdale, after winning at British Amateur in Muirfield. In Saint Andrews he made his debut in 2000. “I finally found a way to have fun with this course, pure golf history. But I always say that my favorite links are Carnoustie and Muirfiel,” he said Wednesday after playing of the practice round with Adrian Arnaus and Patrick Reed.

“It’s been a special week, I feel pretty good, although later when the tournament starts is when you have to be at your best. I trained well and the field, with this hanging and how hard it is, is playing pretty solid. and now I All I have to do is go out and give everything to have a good week, “he said in the mixed zone.

The one from Borriol assures that “the weight of history counts when you set foot on this pitch. In the end we all want to play well, do a good job and even if he is a veteran, there is undoubtedly a little pressure. Obviously the experience helps, but there is always nervousness at first, ”he said.

“I always say that wind is the determining factor in this course,” he added. For example, on the 11th hole, one of the two par 3 ‘loops’ that the Old Course has on the farthest part of the clubhouse, “I came to play, depending on the wind direction at that moment, from a pitching wedge to in 4 iron.

On four occasions he has played The Open on the Old Course, Sergio tied for 36th in 2000, tied for 5th in 2005, tied for 14th in 2010 and tied for 6th in 2015. “There’s a little more motivation for this edition, but coming to play for the British is enough motivation for me. It’s true that it’s the 150th and as well as in St. Andrews it gives it another point,” he concludes.

It should be noted, eye on the data, that the Castellón native, is now in the top 50 in the world ranking and has no sign of playing tournaments on the European circuit this year due to the dispute maintained by the DP World Tour with the dissident players of the Arab Super League, could play his last British, unless he finally makes it into the qualifiers. It remains to be seen if the LIV Golf tournaments will finally score for the world ranking and the Spanish will win the exemption for Hoylake next year via world ranking.