GRANDSTAND View
RAVIPAN PAVASUTHIPAND
You just have to feel sorry for Sergio Garcia.
Villegas wins as Garcia slips up, was the headline on BBC Sports. Villegas snatches victory from Garcia, on another sports website. It must have been a Monday
morning that the Spaniard would rather have spent without seeing the newspapers too.
Garcia lost in a play-off to Camila Villegas of Colombia at the first extra hole at the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta.
Garcia has never been the most dependable putter when under pressure and it was his putter that cost him again on Sunday. The 28-year-old Spaniard missed a tricky
birdie putt from 20 feet on the 18th hole and was forced to play off against Villegas.
Garcia was an overnight leader and he began the day with a five-shot lead over Americans Anthony Kim and Phil Mickelson. Then some sort of final round nerves struck
again. Garcia somehow managed to blow his three-shot advantage with three bogeys in 10 holes.
"I just didn't play well enough," Garcia conceded. "I doubt myself too much early on and it cost me."
After his Ryder Cup disappointment at Valhalla last month, Garcia had hoped to become the first man since 1990 to win the Players Championship and Tour
Championship in the same year.
The dream was unfulfilled and Garcia was left shattered and wondering how he let this one slip away yet again.
At the 90th PGA Championship in August, Garcia was in a similar situation. He blew a big lead and surrendered the title to Irishman Padraig Harrington at Oakland Hills.
He also lost to Fiji's Vijay Singh in a play-off at the Barclays Championship five weeks ago.
Garcia admitted that his confidence is at a low point after three narrow defeats in the space of seven weeks.
The Spaniard said: "I lost three hard ones late in the year and it is a bit disappointing, but the only thing I can do is move on."
His victory at the Players Championship in May remained his only title of the year.
Garcia insisted he's had a solid year instead of what could have been a great year and that there are still things that he needs to work on.
Despite trying to remain positive in his statement, you can't help but think that it was no consolation to what might have been for the Spaniard.
For any other player, a second place finish at the season-ending tournament would be considered a great achievement. But for Garcia, he must find it hard to smile
about it.
Losing a play-off battle is always a hard one to stomach. And I'm still unsure whether these runners-up finishes help him or hurt him.
That missed putt from 20 feet cost Garcia US$1.5m, or US$75,000 per foot.
I can still remember watching an exuberant Garcia skipping down the fairway towards his ball after hitting an amazing shot from a terrible lie at Medinah.
That incident from the memorable 1999 PGA Championship was the moment when the golf world fell in love with the new kid from Spain.
With such talent, it was hard to believe that he wouldn't be able to challenge Tiger Woods for major titles in the years to come.
Woods is currently recovering from his knee surgery and, on his return to action next year, is expected to dominate the sport once again.
But for Garcia - the man who was tipped to build a rivalry with the American world number one - he is left to pick up the pieces after yet another near miss.
One consolation for Garcia and his faithful fans is at least he makes it interesting. Whether you like Garcia or not you have to give him credit for bouncing back after
each disappointment.
Garcia is the kind of player who always creates drama and excitement on the golf course. And having him in the mix certainly makes golf more fun to watch.
Ravipan Pavasuthipand is Assistant Sports Editor, Bangkok Post. She can be reached by email at: ravipanp@bangkokpost.co.th
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