Dubai: The handiwork of Sergio Garcia’s optician came under scrutiny on day two of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai on Friday, after the Spaniard equalled the course record with a 64.
Sport | Golf
Garcia eyes title after Dubai course record
Spaniard reveals laser eye surgery inspired his 64 at DP World Tour Championship
- By Ashley Hammond, Staff Reporter
- Published: 18:37 November 23, 2012
- Image Credit: AP
- Sergio Garcia of Spain follows his ball on the second fairway during the DP World Golf Championship in Dubai on Friday.
In only his second round since returning from laser eye surgery last month, the 32-year-old holed nine birdies and two eagles, but proved he was still getting to grips with his newfound focus by also carding two bogeys and a triple.
It follows on from a first-round 73, leaving him eight under par, three strokes off the lead at the close of round two.
Asked if he noticed any improvement in his game as a result of the surgery, Garcia said: “Not yesterday [Thursday], but today [Friday] I could.
“I might be able to read my lies better, but you still have to judge the speed of the green.
“If I was aiming at a spot before, it would get a little bit blurry and I might have lost it a little bit, but now I can see the spots better and pick out small things easier than before.”
Of his failing eyesight, Garcia added: “I didn’t realise until July [that my sight was deteriorating]. I had always thought I had great vision. But I had astigmatism in the right [eye] and was 0.75 in the left.
“It’s not like I couldn’t play the way I was before. The main reason [for surgery] was that with glasses and contact lenses I felt very uncomfortable. I either did nothing or got laser eye surgery to get ride of it. I’m still getting used to it.
“It’s nice to come back after a long break and play well again. I hope to be able to shoot something similar over the next two days and have a chance. But the leaders will be in double figures today, around 11 or 12 under, so we’ll see.”
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