The result has improved, his feelings have not. Sergio García has bid farewell to the PGA Championship with a good card of 69 strokes at Quail Hollow, two under par, however, the swing is still far from where it should be. At least, that’s how the golfer from Borriol feels. That’s why, upon completing his performance this Sunday in the second Major of the season, he didn’t hesitate. “If Luke (Donald) chose me today to play the Ryder Cup I would have to tell him no,” he stated in reference to his chances of being at the big event in Bethpage this autumn.
There is no better way to explain the lack of confidence and insecurity the Masters champion is currently experiencing. Nothing excites him more than playing the Ryder Cup. There is no greater goal in 2025 and yet he feels he is not in a position at the moment to take on this challenge. Don’t think Sergio is bluffing when he says these things. In fact, he has done it in the past. In the 2010 Ryder, he told Colin Montgomerie that his golf was not up to receiving an invitation. The Scotsman counted on him and did not recruit him at the request of the Spanish golfer himself.
That said, Sergio is by no means throwing in the towel. He wants to be in the Ryder Cup and knows he has time to turn things around. “It’s clear that I have to improve. I have to get back to where I was just before the Masters. Prove to myself and everyone that my game is solid and that it can help the European team. It’s that simple. The good thing is that there are still two or three months until the team is closed. So I will have time to gain confidence and improve my game a bit,” he noted.
Sergio played under par today, something that is not exactly easy at Quail Hollow. To achieve it, you have to do many things right, but for now, in his head, the bad shots prevail. “On the 16th hole, with a 9 iron in hand, I sent it 20 metres to the left of the flag, twenty metres. It’s a horrible shot, the worst golf shot in history,” he confessed to Ten Golf with a certain dose of humour but clearly hinting at his concern about how his swing is. He made a double bogey after ending up in the water.
Sergio has climbed some positions on the leaderboard with his under-par round, with six birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey. Be that as it may, it feels like little to him. “There aren’t many positive things from this week, obviously making the cut is positive, as well as not finishing last on Sunday. But apart from that, not much more. Too many terrible shots,” he explained. García’s two centenary Majors, the 100th and the 101st, have not been the most satisfying. It’s time to turn things around, roll up his sleeves, and regain confidence. The best thing is that he has done it before in the past.
Sergio was scheduled to travel today to Austin, his home in Texas, and then to Dallas to compete in the US Open qualifier this Monday. It is played over 72 holes. Obviously, he doesn’t go with the best vibes, although with these super players, you never know.
