Sergio Garcia begins his 19th season on the European Tour at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic this week and maintains that the hunger and drive, that made him one of the top professionals in the world, continues to be a strong driving force.
The Spanish national first played in Dubai as a 19 year old in 1999, the same year he won twice on the European Tour and also put in a strong showing with a second-placed finish at the US-PGA Championship.
He has gone on to tally a further nine Europan Tour wins and has represented Team Europe on five occasions where they have been victorious. He has come agonisingly close to winning a major on three different instances where he has eventually had to settle for second place.
However, he continues to chase his major dream as that elusive major title remains the only thing missing on his vastly successful portfolio as a professional golfer. At 37 years old, he is still positive that he can get over the hurdle and contend in the big events with top players.
"The hunger is still there," he said. "I still want to keep achieving things. I still want to keep becoming a better golfer when it comes down to my career. I think that fortunately for me, I'm still in good shape. Physically I'm still doing well. I've been able to avoid injuries for pretty much my whole career, so that's always a positive.”
"I'm excited to keep improving, keep giving myself chances at winning tournaments, winning Majors and then just give the best that I have got in me."
Garcia will feature at the event for an eighth time and while he has not cracked the top 10 at the event on previous occasions, he feels the conditions can be fruitful to low scores.
"I am obviously very excited to be back in Dubai," he added. "The course looks great and the weather's great. So we're enjoying it as much as possible. I'm excited to keep improving, keep giving myself chances at winning tournaments, winning Majors.”
“The forecast is for some strong winds throughout the week. I've always enjoyed challenging conditions and if the high winds come, it will be challenging. I think it plays probably to my strengths."
Tiger Woods will be playing in consecutive weeks for the first time at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic this week, and in his first European Tour event in two years, after 15 months out of the game with back troubles.
Woods and Garcia go a long way back and have been a part of some epic duels over the years but Garcia is of the opinion that it will be difficult for Woods to again hit the incredible heights of 2000 and 2001 when he completed the Tiger Slam.
"I think that Tiger has obviously got a lot of qualities and he can get to a high level, but the way he played like in early 2000 and stuff like that, it is difficult," he said. I think to get to that level is very difficult, even for him, because he's 40 now. So his body doesn't move the way it used to move when he was 20, 25."
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