The tournament was never the same after Sergio Garcia fired in a STUNNING EAGLE on the 15th. And most likely, his career will never be the same, either, writes BILL PENNINGTON.
Throughout the first nine holes of the final round at the Masters that Sunday,Sergio Garcia was greeted with thunderous applause from the grandstands. Just 15 years ago, when he was perceived as precocious but persnickety, he was ridiculed by crowds at American major golf championships.
But now Garcia, 37, was a fan favourite.
He had the empathy of the galleries because they knew the 18 holes of Augusta National Golf Club had grown to be his personal house of horrors. Before this year, Garcia had competed for the Masters title six times and never finished higher than eighth.
Sometimes he fell all the way to 38th or 40th.
PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS ROOT for someone trying to shed a millstone. Enough is enough. And besides, this was the first April that Garcia had arrived at Augusta promising a new, uplifting outlook. His normal mien, which he had never done anything to hide, had been to expect the worst. If he was promising to turn over a new leaf, the crowd was playing along. It cheered him as he left the ninth green and walked toward that famed golf crucible: the back nine on a Sunday at the Masters.
But within minutes, the spectators felt sorry for him all over again. Poor Sergio. Same old Sergio. There he was, going to pieces again.
HE BOGEYED THE 10TH and 11th holes, and on the 13th hole his tee shot was so deep in the bushes he had to declare it unplayable. His playing partner and good friend, Justin Rose, appeared to be running away with the championship.
Denne historien er fra April 22, 2017-utgaven av Sportstar.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra April 22, 2017-utgaven av Sportstar.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Tokyo Marathon Cancelled For Amateurs On Coronavirus Fears
Organisers in Japan cancelled the amateur portion of the Tokyo marathon, affecting around 38,000 runners, on fears about the spread of the new coronavirus in Japan.
Right Criteria To Pick The Tennis GOAT
What should the criteria be? What weight should be attached to each criterion? And what should not be considered as valid criteria?
The making of a batting behemoth
If Steve Smith dominated the Ashes in England in a dramatic, blockbuster fashion then his like for like a replacement, Marnus Labuschagne, is the Next Big Thing after an exciting summer of run-glut.
WHEN ACES WERE REWARDED...
It was an evening of nostalgia and celebration when the Sportstar Aces awards were given away in Mumbai.
A question of recognition
After a week of awards, one wonders if it’s only a departed player that one will be named after.
Thinking straight, thinking right!
“A lot depends on when I am bowling and what is required from me. That’s something I do when I play for India and I try to follow the same thing in the domestic circuit,” says Yuzvendra Chahal.
The Big Three and the Next Gen
Though the Big Three are very unlikely to retire during the same year, Judy Murray, mother of Andy, echoed the sentiments of many fans worried about the impact of their departures.
WAKING UP TO MENTAL HEALTH
Sport at large and cricket specifically has taken an inordinately long time to address the elephant in the room — the dark abyss of depression.
Like sunshine in a gloomy dressing room
Bangladesh quick Abu Jayed Rahi is new in the red-ball arena, but his swing brings back old memories — of James Anderson on green tops.
The league of the masses
With traditional clubs locking horns with the hard-working nurseries of the game, the I-League will continue to keep the beating heart of Indian football alive despite official apathy.
