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After the disappointment of missing out on The Open, Sergio Garcia secured a first individual LIV Golf win, enjoying victory on home soil in Sotogrande, Spain.
Garcia had to beat Anirban Lahiri in a playoff to take the victory on Sunday.
The Spaniard shot a third-round 66 at Real Club Valderrama to finish at five under par and catch up with previous-round leader Lahiri. Garcia then prevailed in the playoff and will receive a $4m (£3.1m) prize for winning the event.
Anirban Lahiri could not hold on to his overnight lead. (Photo by Chris Trotman/LIV Golf via AP)
For Garcia the triumph at this course in Spain was a special moment.
“It’s been hard losing a couple of playoffs this year, being really close to qualifying for The Open and trying to make it my 100th major, just missing [out] like 10 days ago. It’s been a roller coaster for sure,” he said afterwards.
“But I knew I was playing well. I love this place. I love these people. So thankful to everyone for what we were able to achieve today.”
He added: “I might be wrong, but I think that if the soccer team wins tonight, it could be probably one of the biggest days in the history of Spanish sports, I would say. [Carlos] Alcaraz winning [Wimbledon], us winning both individually and as a team, and then the national team winning the Euro Cup.
“It would be amazing to have all those four things happen in the same day. It would be amazing.”
He is determined to still feature in major championships.
“Obviously played the qualifier like 10 days ago for The Open and just missing out, I know even more how hard it is and how important the majors are, and I still want to play as many as I can,” he said.
“Hopefully things get better and we start getting spots coming into some of the majors, but if not, I’ll just keep playing qualifiers until my body says enough is enough.”
This was his fourth playoff in LIV Golf and the first one he’d won. It was the first title Garcia had earned since he joined the new Saudi-backed circuit in 2022.
Jon Rahm, another home favourite, finished in a tie for 10th in his first home event since joining LIV Golf.
Garcia’s Fireballs team also won the team title at the tournament in southern Spain after winning a playoff over the Crushers themselves – the first time in LIV Golf that both individual and team titles had been decided in a playoff.
Tyrrell Hatton came in in third place and looks forward to The Open (Photo by Jon Ferrey/LIV Golf via AP)
England’s Tyrell Hatton finished in third place at four under.
“I felt pretty gutted for Lahiri,” Hatton said. “It was a bit awkward on the 18th green with the crowd because they wanted Sergio to win.
“I think everyone thought it would be done there, and unfortunately for Lahiri and the Crushers, they ended up having to go into a playoff.
“That’s definitely going to sting a lot for those guys. From my point of view, nice to have another good week going into the Open.”
What’s next?
Sky Sports is once again the home of The Open, with round-the-clock action on Sky Sports Golf and live coverage from all seven days of tournament week at Royal Troon. Live coverage of the opening round begins on Thursday at 6.30am. Stream The Open and more top sport with NOW.
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