After 73 failed attempts, a major title for Garcia

The other is Luke Donald, what sets them apart is the number of chances Westwood has had in the majors. The next year, he was the 54-hole leader at the Masters when Mickelson outplayed him.

Westwood is running out of time.

No one ever played more majors as a pro-70-before winning a major for the first time.

In these cases, we find ways to both vilify and exalt certain players, and let’s be honest, there isn’t much rhyme or reason in either case. He was also an intense Ryder Cup competitor who could irritate some of the American players with his fiery style.

There was that time at Bethpage Black in the 2002 U.S. Open when he complained about having to play in the rain, suggesting the USGA would have stopped play if Woods had been on the course.

He played for nine teams in 17 major league seasons.

He had finished in the top 10 at the tournament in Augusta three times before.

The Masters was the latest example.

And when he won his first major on Sunday – the historic Masters at Augusta National – the golfing world spoke loudly and clearly that no one deserved it more than the energetic PGA kid in a man’s body known to many, appropriately, as “El Nino”.

However, after taking a penalty drop and pitching out onto the fairway, he got up and down from 90 yards for par and saw Rose unable to hole from six feet for birdie. There was so much to contend with – swirling wind and cool temperatures, wicked pin placements and, of course, the incredible layout that complements the terrain that Augusta National is built on, not to mention the pressure of a major championship. I knew it was a quick putt. I’m not good enough for the majors.

Last-group playing partners and friends Garcia and Rose were level for the lead at the start of what became a tension-packed thrill ride of a final round. That was at rain-softened Valhalla for the 2014 PGA Championship. A new superstar, however, had emerged, and Rory McIlroy would win out as Sergio melted. England’s Danny Willett won the Masters past year to snap a streak of 16 Masters without a European player winning since Olazabal in 1999.

“He mentioned you know what you have to do, just believe in yourself”, Garcia said.

There was a flavor of that frustration Sunday before the taste of victory, with Sergio misreading a 4-foot putt that could have won it on the 72nd hole and never even threatening the cup.

But Rose found trouble and made bogey, leaving Garcia just two putts from around 12 feet to finally claim his first major.

AS Masters champ, Sergio Garcia has dumped the coarsest cloak of irony.

Everyone has heard the old saying, “Behind every good man is a good woman”, and in this case it appears Garcia’s fiancee has helped him mature and accept responsibility. He was a tour professional by ’99 and, in the same year, won his first European Tour event. Love is a five-winner.

It was obvious Tiger was going to be a truly significant player, but the assumption was Garcia, too, would win big championships for many years. “When I turn it on later this week or when I get back to Europe, hopefully it won’t explode!”

This year the Open returns to Birkdale and the Masters champion can draw on another piece of history to fuel his hopes of snatching the Claret Jug.