The wait was worth it.
Sergio Garcia, the 37-year-old Spaniard, erased nearly two decades of major disappointment when he defeated England’s Justin Rose in a playoff to win the Masters on Sunday.
After 18 years and 73 majors, Garcia got the monkey off of his back as he sunk a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to secure the victory. Those 73 majors put Garcia near the record book as he came into the Masters with the third-most appearances without a major win. So when the ball rolled into the cup, Garcia couldn’t help but get emotional as he pumped his fists, kissed the crowd, and dropped to his knees in celebration.
The winning putt. #themasters pic.twitter.com/b0lEPfBKxM
— Masters Tournament (@TheMasters) April 9, 2017
“If there’s anyone to lose to, it’s Sergio. He deserves it,” Rose told reporters. “He’s had his fair share of heartbreak.”
Nobody expected Garcia to take this long to win a major tournament after bursting onto the scene in 1999. Garcia had a number of battles with Tiger Woods before falling in the end. But not this time as the 37-year-old came back to win in a playoff. Sunday marked the first time since 2013 that a playoff was needed as Adam Scott defeated Angel Cabrera to become the first Australian to wear the Green Jacket.
