Sergio Garcia is back in the winner’s circle — finally.
It wasn’t a great season for Garcia on the PGA Tour but back in Europe they’re still racing to Dubai and Garcia was victorious Monday at one of his favorite courses — Valderrama.
Took him five days thanks to a lot of nasty, rainy weather but Sergio closed with a 69 Monday morning at the Adalucia-Valderrama Masters to shoot 12-under at the event that was shortened to 54-holes.
Garcia was the defending champion at a course he totally loves and this marked this third win there (2011, 2017, 2018).
He had a three-shot lead when play was suspended on Sunday and he was never really threatened. Shane Lowry, who lost his PGA Tour card, is back in Europe and finished solo second after a closing 66 got him to six-under par.
The victory ended Garcia’s long winning drought. This was his first victory since he won the 2017 Masters.
Danielle Kang Gets Mentally Right And Wins:
Danielle Kang turned 26 last Saturday, she’s one of America’s talented young stars but she had completely lost control of the mental aspects of the game.
She had basically turned into Kevin Na, back when he couldn’t take the club away.
“I’ve been through so much just mental struggle that it’s just been emotionally draining all year,” Kang said after winning Sunday at the Buick LPGA in Shanghai. “I’ve had just some anxiety problems for months and months. Honestly, having Ollie (caddie Ollie Brett) on the bag changed a lot and having Butch Harmon work with me.”
Kang birdied four of her last eight holes for her second career win. She closed with a 69, got to 13-under and finished two clear of a logjam of six players, including fellow Americans Marina Alex and Annie Park.
“Butch tells me to get out of my own way,” Kang said. “I’m just so in my own way. Frustrates me. I’m just finally happy and just working on my game properly. Yeah. It’s been a lot. Overcoming the mentality of the anxiety you feel over the shots — it’s so much that golf does to you and the things that I had to deal with over the course of time that I’ve been on tour. You know, I’m just so happy to be where I’m at today. I’m just happy that I won.”
For Kang, it was a tough experience getting over her “swing yips.” She was basically going through what Kevin Na experienced a few years ago on the men’s tour.
“Anxiety over tee balls,” Kang pointed out. “People might wonder what I’m doing. I actually can’t pull the trigger. It has nothing to do with the result. Having to get over that last week was incredible for me. Even on the first round, one shot took me, I think, four minutes.”
