Sergio surges to Players glory
by Alex Livie, 12 May 2008
Sergio Garcia made a quite stunning return to form with victory in The Players Championship in a play-off from Paul Goydos.
The affable Spaniard had been in the doldrums since his late capitulation in last year’s Open Championship, but he bounced back to become only the second European winner of the unofficial fifth Major and ended his three-year wait for a Tour win.
With winds gusting up to 30mph and lightning-fast greens, conditions were not conducive to low scoring.
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Garcia had his travails at Sawgrass, he bogeyed the opening hole, but he found form with his putter at long last and drew level with overnight leader Goydos at the 18th before taking his measure in a play-off.
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Birdies at 11, 12 and 14 kept Garcia in the hunt and pars on 17 and 18 coupled with Goydos’ bogey on the final hole forced the play-off.
Goydos had his fair share of luck, he holed an outrageous birdie putt at the fourth and chipped in for a birdie at the 10th when a bogey looked on the cards, but a bogey at 18 cost him the title.
The momentum was with Garcia and Goydos faltered on the first extra hole, the 17th, when dumping his tee shot in the water.
Garcia found dry land, knocking his tee shot to four feet, but he needed two putts to claim victory.
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Jeff Quinney had a fine round in tough conditions and he held a chance on the last, but a bogey five saw him finish one shot adrift of Garcia and Goydos in third.
Phil Mickelson opened with a double bogey and it set the tone for his round as yet another player failed in the defence of their TPC title.
Ernie Els had an up and down round, which was a lot like his week. He was in the hunt after a birdie at 17, which exorcised the demons of a triple bogey on Thursday, but his challenge faltered when he found water at 18.
Stephen Ames was another player who saw his challenge ended on 18, as a double bogey came courtesy of a wayward tee shot, while Briny Baird closed on one under after a closing 72.
Ian Poulter finished the highest ranked Briton, but a 76 was his worst round of the week, while Bernhard Langer rolled back the years this week and the 50-year-old was in the hunt for a long way before wilting on the back nine and finishing at three over.
Kenny Perry started the day at six under and in the final pairing with Goydos, but he struggled off the tee and his putter let him down later in the round and his 81 was a disappointment to his fans.