Garcia shows sparkle at Sawgrass

Young American Rickie Fowler was a popular winner in the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Florida.  However, what a delight it would have been for Spain and for golf fans around the world if Sergio Garcia had pulled-off the victory at the weekend.  It was precisely four years ago on 7th May that the legendary Severiano Ballesteros died.  Yes, the magical Spanish maestro is always in our hearts.

 

Some career putting by Garcia in the Players Championship earned the Spaniard a place in a three-way play-off with Rickie Fowler and Kevin Kisner.  It was the first ever 3-hole aggregate play-off and only the 5th play-off in the championship’s history.  Yet Garcia’s failure to make birdie at the 18th in the 3-hole aggregate play-off left only Fowler and Kisner to battle it out at the 17th in the ensuing ‘sudden-death’ play-off.

 

Fowler excelled once again on the penultimate hole producing his 5th birdie on the 17th this week.  An amazing performance which simply ignited the crowd as he attacked the tucked-away pin finishing just a few feet away yet again.  In regulation play he played the last 6 holes in 6-under par.  Add to this the play-off, then his tally for the last 10 holes was a remarkable 8-under par.  With good reason is Ricky Fowler’s victory heralded as one of the greatest finishes in the Players Championship history.

 

Standing just 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing in at 150lbs, 26 year old Rickie just goes to prove once more that you don’t have to be a body-builder to pack a serious punch in golf.

 

Wendy Hoad