Sergio falls short in bid to make 25th Open in row

Sergio Garcia‘s quest to play in his twenty fifth straight Open Championship ended Tuesday when he did not qualify for the season’s fourth main.

Enjoying in a qualifier at West Lancashire Golf Membership, Garcia shot a 5-under 67 within the morning spherical of the 36-hole competitors. However after taking the lead at 8 underneath following three birdies within the first six holes of the second spherical, Garcia could not sustain the tempo.

Garcia, 43, hit his drive into the tough on the par-4 seventh gap and he wound up with a bogey on his approach to a 71 and a cumulative 6-under par.

He completed tied for sixth after 36 holes, with solely the highest 5 finishers qualifying for The Open, which begins July 20 at Royal Liverpool Golf Membership in Merseyside, England.

“I have never actually missed many majors since turning professional in 1999, only one due to COVID and the PGA a few months in the past and sadly I will miss this one,” Garcia stated.

“It is a disgrace but it surely’s the sport. I felt I had it shut, within the grasp of my hand, however that is what it’s. When you do not even come right here you may’t get dissatisfied as a result of you aren’t even attempting. I used to be attempting and sadly it simply wasn’t adequate.”

Garcia, a member of the LIV Golf League, needed to undergo qualifying as a result of he can’t earn world rating factors that result in computerized berths in majors.

He received the Masters in 2017 for his sole main title. He has 10 top-10 finishes at The Open, tying for second in 2014 behind Rory McIlroy at Royal Liverpool and dropping in a playoff in 2007 to Padraig Harrington at Carnoustie Golf Hyperlinks in Scotland.

Garcia will stay in England to play this weekend within the LIV London occasion.

On Tuesday, he completed 5 pictures behind main qualifier Matt Wallace of England. Additionally qualifying had been Royal Liverpool member Matthew JordanSouth Africa’s Kyle BarkerEngland’s Alex Fitzpatrick — the youthful brother of 2022 U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick — and German newbie Tiger Christensen.

“To play with my brother, Matt, in a significant can be wonderful,” Alex Fitzpatrick stated. “I’ve by no means performed in a single and I used to be asking folks solely final week what it was wish to play in a single, so it is nice to have the ability to expertise it now.”

Matt Fitzpatrick took to social media to commend his brother.

10 years in the past yesterday I certified for The Open for the primary time. Right now my brother does the identical precise factor!! Could not be prouder and may’t wait to play a significant championship with him! pic.twitter.com/eKLEt0Elzq

— Matt Fitzpatrick (@MattFitz94) July 4, 2023

Two full-time LIV Golf members reached the sector by way of closing qualifying at one other location, Royal Porthcawl in Wales: South Africans Brand Grace and Charl Schwartzel. Grace was the primary participant to shoot a spherical of 62 at a significant on the 2017 Open Championship, and Schwartzel received the Masters in 2011.

“Being a global participant, The Open is big,” Schwartzel stated. “I do not wish to put one in entrance of the others however I really feel like The Open and Augusta go hand-in-hand by way of status.”

Amongst LIV gamers who did not qualify had been Graeme McDowell, Anirban Lahiri, Jason Kokrak and Dean Burmester.

Info from Reuters and The Related Press was used on this report.