The PLAYERS Championship Power Rankings: Top 10 at TPC Sawgrass
Sergio’s played TPC Sawgrass for nearly 20 years. He’s found success at this venue throughout each phase of his career.
Garcia tied for fourth in 2002 as the first of six top-10s at the PLAYERS. The highlight was his 2008 win against underdog Paul Goydos in a playoff. Garcia also finished runner-up in 2007 and 2015.
One of the factors that make Pete Dye courses is its unsettling sight lines. Garcia’s vision is plenty clear at Sawgrass.
"“I just like the golf course. I’ve told you guys many, many times it’s one of my most favorite golf courses we play all year, and for some reason I can see what I want to do,” Garcia was quoted by Sporting News in 2017. “Obviously there’s a couple tee shots here and there that are a little bit uncomfortable, but I see what I want to do and I can see most of my reads quite well and I just feel comfortable on it. So it usually helps to play better.”"
Garcia rarely plays the week before a big event, and this week will be no different. He’ll look to bounce back from a pair of missed cuts in his last two starts at Augusta and the Texas Open.
There may not be fire where there’s smoke, though. We all know how Garcia’s 13 on the scorecard doomed his otherwise solid play at the Masters and he missed at Texas by just one.
Plus, prior to these hiccups Garcia won his pool at the WGC-Match Play and has three worldwide top-10s in 2018.
Garcia is third in strokes gained approaching-the-green on Tour. His iron play should push him toward the top this week.