The Masters will be without 2017 champion Sergio Garcia this year as he has tested positive for Covid-19 it was revealed Monday.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to Sergio and his family and we will miss him greatly,” Fred S. Ridley, chairman of the Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, said in a press conference on Monday. “One of our great former winners here at The Masters.”
On Saturday night after driving back from the Houston Open, I started feeling a bit of a sore throat and a cough. The symptoms stayed with me on Sunday morning so I decided to get tested for COVID-19 and so did my wife Angela. Thankfully she tested negative, but I didn’t.
— Sergio Garcia (@TheSergioGarcia) November 9, 2020
Masters Victory
In his 74th major championship, García broke through and won the Masters Tournament with victory on the first sudden-death playoff hole against Justin Rose.[García became the third Spanish player to win the Masters, after Seve Ballesteros and José María Olazábal. The victory also came on what would have been Ballesteros’ 60th birthday.
García shot rounds of 71-69-70 over the first three rounds to enter the final round at six-under par and in the co-lead with Rose, who played together in the final group. This represented García’s second career 54-hole lead/co-lead at a major championship, after the 2007 Open Championship. García began the final round strongly, with two birdies on his opening three holes and he forged a three shot lead early on. Rose came back though and following bogeys on the 10th and 11th for García, Rose opened up a two shot lead.
The 13th hole was then pivotal, as García scrambled a par and Rose missed a short birdie putt to keep the gap at two shots. García would then birdie the next hole and eagle the par five 15th to tie Rose with three holes remaining. They then both hit their tee shots at the 16th close, but only Rose converted, to again lead by one. Rose however would make a mistake at the 17th, leading to a dropped shot and meaning both players were tied going up the 72nd hole. Both players hit their approach shots close on the 18th green, but Rose burnt the lip with his birdie putt. García had a five-foot putt to win the tournament in regulation play but pushed it right resulting in a playoff as both players finished level on 9-under-par after 72 holes.
Playing the 18th hole again, Rose hit his tee shot into the pine straw, meaning his second shot was blocked off by trees, so could only advance his ball 50 yards or so. He played his third to a similar area of the green he had during regulation play. García fired his approach to within twelve feet. Rose’s putt for par then missed on the left side of the hole, leaving García with two putts for the win. He only needed one, as he holed his birdie putt for his first major championship.
Sergio Garcia has informed Augusta National Golf Club that he will not participate in the 2020 Masters Tournament due to a positive COVID-19 test result. pic.twitter.com/SdIlomCrNT
— The Masters (@TheMasters) November 9, 2020
Sergio Garcia will miss his first major in 21 years after testing positive for COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/vbGbt6CeUM
— GOLFTV (@GOLFTV) November 9, 2020
