AUGUSTA, GA. (AP) - Sergio Garcia thinks the only major title he’ll ever have is this: best player never to win one.
Garcia told Spanish reporters after a dismal third-round round at the Masters that he doesn’t think he’s capable of winning a major, and he didn’t back off the comments Sunday.
“Everything I say, I say it because I feel it,” he said. “If I didn’t mean it, I couldn’t stand here and lie like a lot of the guys do. If I felt like I could win, I would do it. Unfortunately at the moment, unless I get really lucky in one of the weeks, I can’t really play much better than I played this week. And I’m going to finish 13th or 15th. What does that show you?”
Just 19 when he had a spectacular showdown with Tiger Woods at the 1999 PGA Championship, Garcia was supposed to give Woods a fight for the title of greatest player of their generation. He’s hardly been a washout, with 10 victories on the European Tour and another seven on the PGA Tour.
But he’s never quite lived up to his star billing, either. At 32, he’s now 0-for-54 in the majors.
Not that he hasn’t had chances. He finished in the top 12 at the last three majors of 2011, and went into the third round at Augusta National a stroke behind the leaders. But he took himself out of contention with a 3-over 75 that left him eight strokes back, and then unburdened himself to Spanish reporters.
“That’s the reality. I’m not good enough and today I know it. I’ve been trying for 13 years and I don’t feel capable of winning,” Garcia said. “I don’t know what happened to me. Maybe it’s something psychological. … After 13 years, my chances are over. I’m not good enough for the majors. That’s it.”
Garcia got off to a rough start Sunday with a double-bogey on the first hole. But he rebounded with back-to-back birdies, and finished with a 71 that left him at 2 under for the tournament.
But for yet another major, Garcia is heading home empty-handed.
Asked what he thinks is missing, Garcia said, simply, “Everything.
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AP Sports Writer Paul Logothetis in Madrid contributed to this report.
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