Dubai: Sergio Garcia will channel his Omega Dubai Desert Classic title triumph in 2017 — an achievement that kick-started a sensational season that saw him claim his first major at the US Masters — as he looks to make 2019 even more memorable.
The Spaniard is back in the UAE, and despite a career that has spanned 20 years, the 39-year-old’s hunger for glory on the greens is as great as ever.
“I have some great memories here,” he said ahead of Thursday’s big tee-off in the ODDC, as he chases the title and the winner’s cheque in the $3.25 million (Dh11.95 million) event.
“I won here a couple of years ago and it led to a great year in which I won the Masters. I’m excited to be back and just hoping to go out there and play well, have a solid week and see if we can have another shot at that beautiful trophy.”
Garcia is very happy with his game after an indifferent start to last year transformed into another season of delight as he helped Europe reclaim the Ryder Cup in France in September and then defend his title at the Andalucia Valderrama Masters in October.
“It feels good,” he said of his form. “I played last week in Singapore. It was pretty good for the most part, a couple things here and there obviously a little bit rusty but other than that it was a nice week. We finished tied seventh. It was a good start of the year.
“Now, bigger things come around, and you have to keep the momentum going and that’s what we’re going to try to do.”
As a veteran on tour, Garcia knows it is getting harder to win due to the younger athletes pushing the old guard all the way.
“Winning has become tougher and tougher as the years went by, all the kids are much better now than they used to be, and you know, it doesn’t make it easier,” he said. “At the end of the day, the only thing I can do is give myself the best chance and try to play the best way possible and the best way that I know. You know, if I’m around the top-10 and I have my chances of winning, and if it happens, great, and if not, it’s still a great week.”
The Spaniard knew he could get back to his best after he turned around a disappointing first half of the year last season to get back among the top finishers and also win in Valderrama.
“At Greensboro (where he tied for 24th in the Wyndham Championship), I felt like things were starting to turn, and then obviously being a part of the Ryder Cup team was a little extra boost,” he said. “Then I played great in Portugal where I didn’t really make anything and still finished I think sixth or something like that.
“Then had a great Ryder Cup, and then, you know, all the tournaments were at a good level, Valderrama, Sun City, Dubai, Hong Kong, I felt like I was playing at a nice level and that’s why we got all those top-10s.
“We’ve just got to try to keep going the same line and same momentum.”
A calendar alteration this year means there are four majors in four months between April to July, but Garcia will not break his routine, and prepare for the big events just as he would any other week.
“You don’t really prepare any differently,” he said. “You obviously try to be at the best level you can be come April. We have April, May, June, July, all the majors within four months. The only thing you can do is try to be at the best level you can be on those four months.
“If you get in a good rhythm, it could be really, really good to have some solid chances there on not only the majors, but some of the other tournaments, too.
“It is what it is. At the end of the day, if you have a couple bad weeks, you have to find a way to get over them and get going again. I actually don’t mind that they are kind of close together because it makes it exciting for everyone, and you don’t have to wait too long for the next major.”
