Age: 40
World ranking (current/end of year)
Current: 38th
2019: 39th
2018: 24th
2017: 10th
2016: 13th
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Current 2020 Stats
FedEx Cup Rank: 179th
Events: 5
Wins: 0
Top 10: 0
Top 25: 0
Made Cut: 5
Money: $220,904
Strokes Gained
Off-The-Tee: 1st (2019: 30th, 2018: -, 2017: 5th)
Approach: 193rd (2019: 21st, 2018: -, 2017: 40th)
Around The Green: 158th (2019: 121st, 2018: -, 2017: 44th)
Putting: 187th (2019: 114th, 2018: -, 2017: 162nd)
Tee-To-Green: 39th (2019: 24th, 2018: -, 2017: 9th)
Total: 94th (2019: 37th, 2018: -, 2017: 19th)
Analysis
From 1999 to 2017, Sergio’s end of year ranking had been outside the top 20 just twice but he’s slipped the last couple and was 38th when play was halted for the Coronavirus outbreak. He’s without a top 30 in five PGA TOUR starts this season (was T63 after R1 at Sawgrass before play was canceled) but that’s nothing to do with his driving as he’s ranked 1st SG: Off-The-Tee. While that strength remains, his Approach numbers are way down and his short game has been a particular weakness so far. Of course, putting has long been thought of as an Achilles heel (he’s not been in the top 100 for SG: Putting since 2014) so it’s not a surprise to see him way down the charts again. It’s a D for his performances Stateside but a run of 8-23-6 in three European Tour events in January/February (Abu Dhabi/Dubai/Saudi) paints a brighter picture.
Grade so far: D
Sergio Garcia 2020 quotes
Abu Dhabi Championship (on turning 40 in January): “You know, 40, to me, it’s just one more than 39. I feel good. I feel like physically I feel healthy. I feel good. I’m excited to, like I said earlier, hopefully see some good results as the year goes on with all the work that we’ve been putting in.”
Abu Dhabi Championship (on equipment change): “Unfortunately our relationship with Callaway didn’t go any farther. So at the moment, I’m a free agent. So I’m playing whatever I feel that feels best for me or fits me best. That’s where we are and that’s what I’ve been working on this Christmas break. Tried TaylorMade and PING. I thought some of the other manufacturers didn’t quite suit my eye, what I’ve seen out there. I had an idea of trying those, and I did and I got a little mixed bag of those two, actually. I’m sure as the year goes on, I might do a little tweak here or there, but not too much. I’m pretty happy with the way things are.”
Twitter (on welcoming his new baby into the world on what would have been Friday of The Masters): “Happy Easter to everyone! We’re blessed to have welcomed Enzo Akins Garcia on Friday, April 10, at 6:25 pm. Enzo and Angela are both doing great, and Azalea is very happy to be a big sister! Hope you all have enjoyed Easter (and Masters) Sunday. God bless from our family to yours.”
THE MAJORS (most recent result on the left)
The Masters: MC-MC-1-34-17-MC-8-12-35-45-38-MC-MC-46-MC-4-28-8-MC-40-28
Since finally getting the major monkey off his back by winning the 2017 Masters after a thrilling battle with Justin Rose, Sergio has missed both his cuts at Augusta. That’s part of a wider theme though. Since climbing the mountain and planting the flag, Garcia has lost his way dramatically in the majors. Previously, he’d had 13 top fives and 23 top tens from 85 starts at this level (15% and 27% respectively). But in the 11 majors that followed his green jacket glory he’s missed seven cuts and had finishes of T21, T37, T52 and T67. Overall, he’s 14-for-21 at Augusta.
PGA Championship: MC-MC-MC-MC-54-35-61-MC-12-MC-MC-2-DQ-3-23-MC-MC-10-MC-34-2
The major that made his name as he hopped, skipped and almost jumped over Tiger on his PGA debut at Medinah in 1999. Runner-up there, he was also second to Padraig Harrington in 2008 but since then... no top tens and MCs in the last four editions. Overall, this major hasn’t floated his boat and he’s failed to make even half his cuts (10-for-21) and has just four top tens. Harding Park stages the event this year but, as 10th seed, he finished bottom of his four-man group in the 2015 WGC-Match Play there, winning one and losing two.
U.S. Open: 52-MC-21-5-18-35-45-38-7-22-10-18-MC-MC-3-20-35-4-12-46
It’s been his best American major in terms of consistency. Sergio has missed just three cuts in 20 appearances and his top-ten count of five is one better than The Masters and PGA. That said, he’s had just one finish higher than T18 since a T5 in 2011. Winged Foot won’t jog any positive memories though; he shot 78-78 there in the 2006 U.S. Open. On a more positive note, he twice won the Buick Classic at nearby Westchester and has six top fours in New York.
Open Championship: 67-MC-37-5-6-2-21-MC-9-14-38-51-2-5-5-MC-10-8-9-36-MC-29-MC
He’s yet to lift the claret jug but this is the major where gamers usually give Garcia a close look. It’s deserved. He’s had five top fives, ten top tens and made 18 of 23 cuts. Let’s not forget that Henrik Stenson (2016), Phil Mickelson (2013), Ernie Els (2012) and Darren Clarke (2011) all won the Open Championship in their 40s so Sergio isn’t done yet. Clarke took the title at Royal St. George’s, the host course for the next Open (2021). That could bode well as Sergio has finished T10 (2003) and T9 (2011) there.
