Winner: Sergio Garcia
Around the wider world of golf: Aaron Rai got his first ET Rolex Series win (and second ET win overall) at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open; Mel Reid got her first LPGA win at the ShopRite LPGA Classic; Evan Harmeling got his first Korn Ferry Tour win at the Savannah Golf Championship; Toni Hakula won The Challenge at Harbor Hills on the LOCALiQ Series/PGA TOUR Latinoamérica; Peiyun Chien won the weather-shortened Symetra Classic on the Symetra Tour; and Erika Hara got her first JLPGA major at the Japan Women's Open (thanks, IC!).
After a good run of having at least one Top10 every week, I guess my Twofer Tuesday picks needed a little rest. I had Will Zalatoris (MC) and Doc Redman
(T28). What else can I say?
- Top10s: 22 for 54 (9 Top5, 13 other Top10s)
- Winners: 2 for 27 events
We expected someone to make a run at him, of course, but I don't think anybody expected it to be Peter Malnati. Malnati, like Sergio, has struggled with his game over the last few years and his final round 63 caught everybody by surprise. He took the clubhouse lead but he finished an hour or so before the rest of the leaders and had to wait and see what happened.
By now you know what happened. Sergio weathered a rough stretch to end the front nine but played a nearly flawless back nine, punctuated by an eagle on the 14th and a particularly well-played 18th to beat Malnati by one.
You could tell this win meant a lot to Sergio when he talked about how his family had lost two of his uncles to the pandemic and that this one was for his dad. The combination of emotion in his voice and the grin on his face told the whole story.
I suppose the best part of this for Sergio is that this return to form comes only a month or so before the Masters. If this confidence boost keeps him playing well, perhaps he'll pick up a second major.
But in any case, he just picked up another Limerick Summary. I hope he enjoys it.
A shot in the dark, as it were,
Made Sergio’s putting so pure!
His mind’s eye saw clearly
And Sergio dearly
Enjoyed winning this one for sure.
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