Lay off of Sergio Garcia
Hi, I haven't posted in a while, but someone needs to stand up for Sergio Garcia. The guy has been beat up more in the press than anyone else, even though Sergio performed just about as well (73) as Ernie Els (71), Jim Furyk (71), Angel Cabrera (73), and Adam Scott (72) on the final day of The Open Championship. Here's a pretty brutal article entitled Garcia Suffers Curse of Custard Yellow and the Collywobbles. Or I just found this one: You'll Never Be the Top Banana Until You Learn How to Putt, Sergio.
No one who has ever been paired with Tiger Woods on the final day of a major when Tiger's the leader has ever posted a round better than Tiger, much less a round in the 60s, other than Bob May and Chris DiMarco.
Sergio Garcia is only 26 years old. Adam Scott is also 26 years old, and he hasn't come as close to Garcia in winning a major. Comparing Garcia to Tiger is unfair. No one compares to Tiger. Garcia should be compared to some of the other major winners. Duval didn't win his one major until he was 29 years old; Furyk was 33 years old, as was Phil Mickelson; Vijay Singh, 35 years old; and Mark O'Meara, at 41. Ernie won at age 24, and Justin Leonard at 25, but winning in the mid-twenties is really difficult.
9 Comments:
Well there's a reason that Serge get's lambasted every time he pukes a duck on Sunday at a Major, cause he has an attitude. If he wouldn't complain that everyone got lucky on Friday who played in the morning, and then wear yellow like he's in the freaking Tour De France than he wouldn't get pounded when he doesn't come through.
Hey, I like Serge, he's good for the game, but he needs to learn to shut his mouth and just friggin' play......win, and then shoot his mouth off if he still feels like it...which he probably wouldn't. Cause he shoots his mouth off because he can't believe he still hasn't won a single major yet, and Tiger has won like 7 of them since Medina.
Remember when he got all in a huff at the golf channel calling it the Tiger Channel after he shot something like 64 on Sunday at Augusta, and wouldn't provide any interviews to them. He's like "Why do you want to talk to me now?"
Rich Learner of the Golf Channel said, "Hey, Sergio win 9 Majors, and we'll knock your door down. Better yet, why don't you start by winning one!"
Sergio's a spoiled kid, and needs to grow up. He said that he didn't play bad yesterday! Who's he kidding? I could have putted as poorly as he did...he's supposed to be a pro for pete's sake.
Fair point about Garcia. However, I think he catches some of the same flak that Woods took early in his career and that Wie takes now - he gets a disproportionate share of publicity relative to his career accomplishments. I'm watching this guy on commercials all day long. Why?
Also, he should have been DQ'ed Sunday just for wearing that ridiculous yellow outfit.
Am I wrong here, or is Hal Sutton the only guy who has played head to head Sunday with Tiger in a big tournament and won? (The Players in 200?)
As far as majors, with the 54 hole lead, has anybody made him sweat besides Chris DiMarco and Bob May? Can't recall off the top of head.
A
Ed Fiori is the ONLY guy to ever beat Tiger head-to-head on Sunday afternoon......a LONG time ago. DiMarco and May held their own in a Major.....that's it.
Sergio's posture and gait was similar to a man going to the gallows as he arrived for the first tee.
I totally agree with calygolfing's initial comments. It was embarassing to watch Sergio in total denial at his press conference. He actually said, "I putted well". I think his constant waggle a few years ago was transfered to mouth. He definitely needs to shut up and grow up.
I looked up the Hal Sutton stat. In 2000, he beat Tiger by one stroke in the Players Championship. I don't know how they stood after 54 holes, but I believe Sutton was up by at least a stroke. They were definitely together in the final group.
At any rate, the Players is the fifth major and in 2000, Tiger was at the very top of his game, so I think that qualifies as the one time he got beat in a relatively big spot.
Putting myself in the shoes of Garcia, would I rather have the press lamblast me for playing poorly in the final round of a major (which indicates that they expect more), or ignore the story (meaning that no one even expects me to compete anymore)? It appears that the press and viewers still feel that Sergio is one of the "Young Guns" coming up through the ranks. I'd take that as a compliment and use it to fuel the fire, but then again, I'm not really in his shoes, so I can only speculate.
Sergio, like most Spanish players, has a fiery personality, and perhaps says more than he should. It is great for a viewer, and for that, it is good for the game. better than the bland responses you often hear out of the players. Should he win more before making the comments? Absolutely. But it is hard to shut down your personality. Plus, there is no way Ican defend his comment after the round that he played remotely well.
As for those who took on Tiger down the stretch, I thought I'd add Clarke in the Match Play event a few years ago.
The comments about Sergio's clothing are downright silly. Who cares what color he's wearing? You all should critique your own golf outfits.
AS for what Sergio said after the round I think he was just trying to think positively about the round. He was only 2 over. That was pretty close to Els and others.
Sergio, you can wear ugly yellow colors or any other color,as longer you estay inside the golf dressing code,we have some other players that they wear "PINK OR ROSE" but all these players they know how to talk and aproach the media. Sergio is a exellent player and he is goint to be a better person when he grow up and learn how to respect others,and earn respect.
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