Sergio Garcia has been one of golf’s best ball-strikers his entire career and those skills manifested themselves down the stretch Sunday as he hit an incredible “walk-off” eight-iron at the 72nd hole of the Sanderson Farms Championship.
Peter Malnati finished nearly two hours ahead of Garcia, the overnight leader, and Malnati left the range to watch Garcia second into the home hole. After a beautiful 314-yard drive, Garcia took an eight-iron from 172-yards out and it came in like it was guided by a laser. It hit next to the hole and stopped just two-and-a-half feet away. Garcia holed it for a closing 67 and his 19-under par effort nudged Malnati by a shot.
Earlier, Malnati, a former winner of this championship, fashioned a career-round of 63, nine-under for the his closing effort at the Country Club Of Jackson. He then had to wait and he was watching as Garcia’s ball nearly went in the hole at 18. All Malnati could do was flash a huge smile, as if he knew what Garcia would do.
For Sergio, it ended a winning drought that was going on four years.
“It’s pretty sweet. It’s amazing, it’s great, obviously a lot of hard work. It’s been tough,” Garcia said after the win. He reminded that he recently lost two uncles to the COVID virus.
The 2017 Masters champion never lost his desire. “Keep believing, keep working – my whole team has been behind me. Feels great to stand there at 18 and rip a draw with an eight-iron.”
That closing eight-iron wasn’t the only eye-opening shot he hit coming home. He was two behind Malnati when he arrived at the par five 14th. After another great drive, he hit a three-wood from 259-yards out. “Get up, get up!” Sergio cried at the ball as it came down. It listened. It barely cleared the greenside bunker but bounced perfectly and stopped just outside three-feet from the hole. He made that eagle, fashioned three straight pars then set up the dramatic closing approach.
Garcia also found his putting touch again, albeit by some drastic measures. Right before he putts, he closes his eyes. It’s something he’s been doing for a couple of weeks now and after missing the cut in three of his last four events, it finally paid off and restored his touch.
Garcia missed the FedEx playoffs this season and had fallen outside the world’s top 50 in the rankings. The win will jump him back to where he’s been seemingly forever.
Garcia was all smiles and could think of nothing more than his family: “My whole family — Angela, Azalea (young daughter) and my family in Spain.”
2 Comments
baxter cepeda
Vamos Sergio!
Tom Edrington
His shotmaking has always been incredible; Nice to see him getting comfy with the putter again.