Sergio Garcia buzzing for Open return as LIV Golf ace tees up hectic run in Ryder Cup bid
Spanish star
Sergio Garcia admits he's excited for an Open return and the key spell in his battle to also make the Ryder Cup.
The Spanish star will make his 26th bid for a Claret Jug after sealing a place in the 153rd Championship through his LIV placing.
Garcia clinched the cherished Portrush position at LIV Dallas and is now headed back to Europe for a run of vital events on two tours.
The 45-year-old is in Germany this week for the DP World Tour BMW International Open and will play on home soil in LIV again before heading to Northern Ireland.
Garcia is buzzing for the Open shot and said: 'It's going to be my second time playing at Royal Portrush, and it's obviously nice.
"It's one of the goals that you have at the beginning of the year, to try to play as many majors as you can with the limitations that we get.
"I didn't help myself very much the last three months, but I'm glad that I got enough work done in the first third of the year, in the first part of the season. I'm excited about it and, hopefully, I'll play well.
'It's a five-week stretch, so it's going to be Dallas, BMW Munich, Valderrama, British Open and JCB, so it's a big stretch.
"But thankfully I'm doing well physically, even at my age, and hopefully I'll be able to get through the five weeks well.'
Garcia firmly believes he still has the chance to convince captain Luke Donald he is worthy of a place in the Ryder Cup side for the clash against United States.
Europe's record points scorer feels he can be an asset and played alongside the skipper when the continent was last successful on away soil at Medinah in 2012.
Pre-Dallas, Garcia said: 'If they had told me I was going to be in this position and with a chance of being on the Ryder Cup team, obviously I would have taken it without a doubt.
"Now what I have to do is keep showing my strengths, keep showing my golf, especially what I showed in the first third of the year.
'The good thing is that I know I'm on Luke's ballot and I just have to keep showing that I can do good things and that I can help the team. The Ryder Cup is my favourite golf tournament in the world.
'It would be incredible to be able to compete in another Ryder Cup, especially knowing that in New York, at Bethpage, it's going to be tough and maybe a little experience always comes in handy.'
Garcia didn't contend in Dallas, but felt good signs as he said: 'It's been tough because I feel like I played a little bit better this week than I have been in the last couple of months.
"But both of my first rounds I finished terrible. I bogeyed three out of the last four in the first round and I shot six-over in the last seven holes yesterday [Saturday].
"So obviously I knew that I was putting myself in a tough spot, but I was able to play a little bit better today [Sunday]. I drove the ball better, hit a few more greens and I was able to make a couple putts here and there that were important.'
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