LIV Golf: Sergio Garcia finds backdoor to U.S. Open

Anybody can try to qualify for the U.S. Open.

The qualification course of is undoubtedly difficult, particularly this 12 months, given {that a} report 10,187 golfers registered for U.S. Open qualifiers, per GOLF.com.

A type of registrants is universally recognized by golf followers: Sergio Garcia, the Spanish LIV golfer.

On Monday, at Northwood Nation Membership and Bent Tree Nation Membership in Dallas, Garcia fired a pair of 66s to qualify for the 2023 U.S. Open on the Los Angeles Nation Membership in June.

“I performed properly, and I knew what I wanted,” Garcia mentioned to GOLF.com. “I didn’t need to be in a playoff. I’ve completed that earlier than. It’s fairly scary.”

Garcia is aware of all about strain. In spite of everything, he has amassed extra Ryder Cup factors than every other European participant ever.

He has additionally performed properly in U.S. Open’s all through his profession.

The Spaniard has completed within the prime 10 5 instances, together with a third-place end in 2005 at Pinehurst No. 2.

But, he missed final 12 months’s lower at Brookline after taking pictures 74-70 over his first two rounds. He did not make the weekend by a single stroke.

Picture by Harry How/Getty Photos

However lacking the lower at a significant is significantly better than not making the sector completely, which is what occurred to Garcia on the 2023 PGA Championship.

For the primary time since 1999, Garcia did not qualify for a significant. His standing as a LIV golfer helped contribute to that, because the Saudi-backed tour doesn’t obtain Official World Golf Rating (OWGR) factors.

The 4 majors depend on the OWGR as a part of their qualification standards.

Nonetheless, Garcia, the 2017 Masters champion, will return to main championship golf in Southern California subsequent month.

He has the sport to contend, particularly contemplating he certified the laborious method.