July22 Openpreview
Published: Last updated:
If yesterday was D-Day for Sergio Garcia, today is double D-Day.
It’s the moment of truth for the 27-year-old Spaniard who looks poised to clinch his long-awaited first major title – he goes into this afternoon’s fourth round three shots clear of American Steve Stricker.
Garcia is a hot favourite. He’s been playing beautifully all week, has hardly made a mistake and his new belly putter seems to have cured most of his putting ills.
So when he goes out with Stricker at 2.20pm it’s crunch time for Garcia who has threatened to win a major ever since making his Open debut at Lytham 11 years ago but never delivered despite a solid Open record – he’s finished tied 5th the last two years.
Garcia has won just about everything in the game and has an exemplary record in the Ryder Cup but a major has always eluded him: he’ll never have a better opportunity to win one than today. Surely he can’t blow his big chance of glory and following in the footsteps of fellow countrymen Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal who bagged seven majors between them?
Garcia is desperate to win and prove he’s major material…and to finally lay the ghosts of Carnoustie eight years ago when he finished rank last and went home in tears. What a story, what a transformation of fortunes…
He’ll be taking nothing for granted though. There are some big names lurking behind him and if just one of them posts a low score the pressure will really be on the leader to hold his nerve, especially over the ultra-demanding closing holes where just about anything can happen. He won’t need remining about Jean Van de Velde and all that…
In all honesty, he shouldn’t have to worry too much about Tiger Woods who is eight shots adrift and seems to have blown his chances of a third successive Open. You never rule the Tiger out of course but for me Ernie Els could pose the biggest threat.
The Big Easy bounced back brilliantly after taking a triple bogey eight on the 6th yesterday and if he gets off to a flyer he could well be on his way to repeating his Muirfield triumph in 2001.
Gritty American Chris Di Marco, one of seven players on -3, will also keep plugging away to the bitter end while Irishman Padraig Harrington is Europe’s next best hope of claiming the first major title since Paul Lawrie’s success here in 99.
It should be a fascinating day’s golf and it promises to be a real rollercoaster ride. Hang on to your hats…
