Saudi International: Power ranking the top 10 at Royal Greens

KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY, SAUDI ARABIA - JANUARY 29: A general view of the first tee during a practice round prior to the Saudi International at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club on January 29, 2019 in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images) /

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DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – JANUARY 27: Sergio Garcia of Spain lines up a putt on hole seventeen during Day Four of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic at Emirates Golf Club on January 27, 2019 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) /

Sergio Garcia is off to a far better start to 2019 than 2018. The 39-year-old Spaniard is 2-for-2 in top-10s with a T7 at the Asian Tour’s Singapore Open two weeks ago and a T3 at the Dubai Desert Classic.

“Yeah, it was a good week. I think very happy with the way I played,” Garcia said after Dubai. “Obviously disappointed the way I putted Friday and Saturday more than anything. Today I putted nicely. First round was pretty good, pretty solid.”

Garcia put on a stripe show in Dubai where he hit 87.5 percent of greens in regulation to lead the field and far surpass Bryson DeChambeau who was second in GIR at 80.6. Garcia was also eighth in driving accuracy and 14th in distance, but as he mentioned, he’ll have to pick it up on the greens (61st in putts per GIR).

His results in 2019 are a continuation of his successful end to 2018. He made four straight top-10s to end the year in a streak that’s now up to six overall. In that span he won as host of the Andalucia Masters and took solo second the week after at the Nedbank Challenge.

Playing in near dome like conditions plays into Garcia’s favor this week. This will be his third start in as many weeks, but unlike some players in the field, he’s been in Asia for the entire time and won’t have jet lag to contend with.

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