Sergio Garcia currently lies second in the list of players who have made the most Major appearances without winning one of the game’s top honours.
That’s the bad news out of the way.
The good is that, on a glorious opening morning at The 143rd Open Championship, he played in the manner of a multiple Major winner, reaching the turn in three under par and threatening to make birdie on virtually every hole.
The back nine was more of a mixed bag, as he countered two birdies with a bogey at the par five tenth, where he pulled his third shot into trouble and failed to get up and down.
Missed birdie opportunities down the stretch meant he had to settle for a four under par round of 68 – his lowest opening effort since the 2007 Open Championship – but overall it was something like the Garcia of old.
And whilst it would be extremely premature to make any bold predictions, the Valencia native certainly looks in the mood to end his barren run in Majors, which stretches over 63 events and counting.
With temperatures topping 25 degrees in Hoylake, no wonder the sun-loving Spaniard was revelling in his surroundings.
Garcia, who finished in a tie for fifth place the last time The Open was held at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in 2006, said: “Today was beautiful, it was the perfect day to enjoy The Open. Obviously I’m very pleased with how I played. Any time you start a Major Championship with a four under round, you’ve got to be pleased with it.
“The bogey on ten stung a little bit, because any time you drop a shot on a par five it almost feels like a double. And I had a few birdie chances coming in that I would have liked to take. But I got a little bit lucky on 18 with my tee shot, so I can’t really complain too much about it.”
Indeed, Garcia – who by his own admission sometimes struggles to smile in the face of adversity – has been cheer personified all week, even after that ugly bogey on the tenth hole.
Watched by his German girlfriend and erstwhile caddie Katharina, Garcia seems more mature and far more comfortable in his skin these days.
This week, that sense of contentment is enhanced by his enduring love affair with golf’s oldest tournament.
He said: “I love it so much. After the Ryder Cup, it’s my favourite tournament to play. You always come with a different frame of mind here, even if you’re struggling little bit with your game. I enjoy the crowds out there, it almost kind of feels like a Ryder Cup when people start shouting “Come on, lads” and things like that. You don’t hear that sort of thing too often, so it’s good to hear this week.”
