Garcia over Sawgrass meltdown but not Tiger spat
WENTWORTH, United Kingdom (AFP) –
Tiger Woods (R) of the USA and Sergio Garcia of Spain stand on the 11th tee during round three of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida on May 11, 2013. Garcia insists he has got over his collapse at Sawgrass but his row with Woods rumbles on.
Sergio Garcia insists he has got over his collapse at Sawgrass but his row with Tiger Woods rumbles on.
Garcia threw away his chances of winning the Players’ Championship when he found water three times in the final two holes at Sawgrass and plummeted down the leader board to eighth place.
The week was marred by Garcia’s spat with Woods – the eventual winner – on the third day when the world number one disturbed the Spaniard as he was hitting a shot.
The pair have been engaged in a war of words ever since but Garcia was in an optimistic mood ahead of Thursday’s start to the PGA Championship at Wentworth his first appearance here for 13 years.
Garcia told reporters: “There is no doubt I had a great possibility of winning there for a second time so I was disappointed about that but I was happy knowing the way I played and the way I handled myself.
“I was trying to win the tournament but it was a great week. I felt like I played well over the whole week and that is what I tried to take away from it.”
Earlier this week Woods said he had not made up with Garcia over their row and world number 14 is not giving ground in the dispute either.
Garcia added: “You can’t like everybody. There are people you connect with and people that you don’t – it is as simple as that.
“He doesn’t need me in his life and I don’t need him in mine so let’s move on and keep doing what we are doing.
“It doesn’t mean I can’t play with him. It is just another player – obviously a good player. When I enjoy playing with someone there is a bit more talking going on and when you are playing with someone you don’t fancy as much you are a little bit quiet.
“All I can do is move on and forget. It is difficult to forget – life goes on. It is one of those things that is unfortunate but it happened.”
Garcia is back at Wentworth for the first time since 2000 and although he splits his time between Europe and the United States he is glad to be back on the eastern side of the Atlantic.
“I love coming back here and disconnecting a little bit from the US,” added Garcia. “To see my Spanish friends and my Italian friends and my Argentinian friends.
“I have always loved the European Tour. I love what the European Tour stands for and the feeling you get. It feels a little bit closer and more like a family.”
Luke Donald is the defending champion here and is aiming to join Colin Montgomerie as the only player to win the European Tour’s flagship tournament three years in succession. Scotland’s Montgomerie won in 1998, 1999 and 2000.
There are ten previous winners in the field including Paul Casey, David Howell and Jose Maria Olazabal whilst Spain Miguel Angel Jimenez – winner in 2008 – will be making his 600th start on the European Tour.