Garcia eyes British Open after “better late than never” Masters win

On what would have been the 60th birthday of two-time champion Seve Ballesteros, Garcia became the third Spanish victor at Augusta National with a birdie on the first extra hole following a sensational duel with his Ryder Cup team-mate.

When a reporter tried to make an analogy comparing Garcia’s career – pre-2017 Masters – to a horror movie because of his string of major championship heartbreaks and missteps, Garcia would have none of that.

“To be totally honest, I mean, I’m very happy, but I don’t feel any different”, Garcia said.

“It’s incredible to do it on Seve’s 60th birthday and to join him and Olazabal, my two idols in golf”, Garcia said. Then, the nightmare of 2007 at the Open was revisited on Sunday when he had a five-foot putt to win at Augusta following Justin Rose’s missed birdie effort at the 18th. He clenched both fists and shook them repeatedly. It’s the Spaniard’s first major title in 74 starts, and his first national SI cover.

“Justin wasn’t making it easy”.

“‘I thought I broke my back in half, ‘ he said”.

“The way I tried to look at it was in a positive way, ” he said. “It would have been nice to walk down the aisle in a green jacket”.

“For the most part it was all eyes on Sergio and he was looking at me, and it came down to the back nine on Sunday here, which is what this tournament is famous for”, Rose said.

But the Best Player Never to Win a Major? He made eagle on the par-5 15th to tie for the lead.

Everyone knew what was coming, right?

He wasn’t the only one celebrating – the wider sporting world is delighted the kid they used to call “El Nino” has finally come of age. Two groups played through before officials repaired the hole. “You deserve it all amigo”, from second-ranked Rory McIlroy and “Congrats, well earned”, from 14-time major victor Tiger Woods. He knocked it to 7 feet and made that for a par.

Garcia only needed one of the two putts he had for victory – rolling the ball in from 12ft before crouching in disbelief as his achievement sank in. He shot 62 at the Byron Nelson Classic and tied for third in his pro debut on the PGA Tour. Garcia had another mistake on No. 18 as he missed a short putt with a chance to win the tournament, but he got another shot in the playoff, and he took advantage of it with a clutch drive, a terrific approach and a steady putt.

The playoff didn’t last long.

South African Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters victor, was third on 282 with American Matt Kuchar and Belgian Thomas Pieters sharing fourth on 283.

After almost two decades of heartache in the tournaments that define careers, Garcia finally showed the mettle to win a major. Or being known as the best player to have never won a major. And kind of accepting, too, that if it for whatever reason it didn’t happen, my life is still going to go on.