Top 30 Golfers for the 2016 Majors: No. 11 Sergio Garcia

Author:
Rob Doster
Mar 24, 2016 10:50 AM EDT

In this story:

They’re the cream of the major championship crop, circa 2016 — the Athlon Major Championship Dream Team. Leading up to The Masters, we'll be unveiling Athlon Sports’ 30 players to watch for majors season, with commentary on each from the Golf Channel’s Gary Williams.

No. 11: Sergio Garcia

Born: Jan. 9, 1980, Borriol, Castellon, Spain | Career PGA Tour Wins: 8 (11 on the European Tour) | 2015 Wins (Worldwide): 1 | 2015 Earnings (PGA Tour): $2,670,229 (31st) | World Ranking: 14

Gary Williams' Take: Now 36, Sergio has spent more than 300 weeks in the top 10 in the world in his career and has finished second in majors on four occasions with an additional six top-5 finishes. So why do we all get cynical when we talk about him? It’s a combination of expectation and attitude. He has been one of the five most talented players in the game for 15 years, but he leaves you wanting more, last winning on the PGA Tour in 2012 at the Wyndham Championship. He has 10 top 5s in majors and 20 top 10s, and he’s been a Ryder Cup linchpin. Questions remain: Will he win a major, and where will his best chance come? The Open Championship seems to be the answer with four top 5s and nine top 10s at golf’s oldest major. He’s beloved in Europe and feels most comfortable on the Open rota’s slower greens. Worth noting: He has an exemplary record in the event with the strongest field in golf, the Players Championship. I’d make him the favorite there and a good horse at Royal Troon to get his first major.

Major Championship Résumé
Starts: 69
Wins: 0
2015 Performance:
   Masters – T17
   U.S. Open – T18
   British Open – T6
   PGA Championship – T54
Best Career Finishes:
   Masters - T4 (2004)
   U.S. Open - T3 (2005)
   British Open – 2/T2 (2007, ’14)
   PGA Championship - 2/T2 (1999, 2008)
Top-10 Finishes: 20
Top-25 Finishes: 31
Missed Cuts: 18

Athlon's 2016 Golf annual provides in-depth previews of this year's four majors, including the top 30 players to watch this season. One of these elite players, Zach Johnson, also takes you tee to green with full-swing instruction and short game essentials. BUY IT NOW.