Garcia Wins Masters

By Jay Betsill

Sergio Garcia made his PGA Tour debut as a 19 year-old at the 1999 Byron Nelson at the Four Seasons Resort and Club in Las Colinas.

He won his first PGA Tour event at the 2001 Colonial.

His most recent PGA Tour win was the 2016 AT&T Byron Nelson, which he won in a playoff over Brooks Koepka.

But his biggest triumph did not come until he was 37 years-old when on what would have been the 60th birthday of his hero Seve Ballesteros, Garcia won the Masters and donned the traditional green jacket at Augusta National Golf Club.

After nearly two decades of near misses that began at the PGA Championship at Medinah when he fell to Tiger Woods, Garcia won the 81st edition of the Masters in a playoff over reigning Olympic gold medalist Justin Rose.

The glamorous group of the day was expected to be the penultimate group of 2015 Masters champion Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler, but both faded quickly and neither were a factor on Sunday. Fowler and Spieth would go on to finish in a tie for 11th.

Playing alongside Rory McIlroy, Matt Kuchar made a big move with a 5-under 67 that included a hole-in-one on No. 16 to finish in a tie for fourth.

57 year-old Fred Couples captured his 20th top 25 at Augusta National, finishing in a tie for 18th on the 25th anniversary of his 1992 Masters championship.

Jason Day, Justin Thomas and Phil Mickelson were all a part of a group that finished tied for 22nd.

Former No. 1 player in the world and four-time major champion Ernie Els had a tough weekend as he finished at 20-over par to come in last among those who made the cut. This is likely his final time to tee it up at the Masters as he is in the final year of his five-year exemption from winning the 2012 Open Championship.

Next up on the PGA Tour is the RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, SC.

Notables in the field include former Heritage champions Davis Love III, Jim Furyk, Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker. England’s Tyrell Hatton and 2017 PGA Tour winners Adam Hadwin, Marc Leishman, D.A. Points and Russell Henley are also on hand for the event.

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