SERGIO GARCIA says it was not just the ‘Spirit of Seve’ that inspired him to Masters glory – it was also his fiancee telling him: “Don’t forget to be amazing”.
He took that advice to heart, and edged out Justin Rose with a birdie at the first play-off hole, providing a fitting climax to one of the greatest finishes to any Major championship.
The Ryder Cup team-mates finished locked together on nine under par after trading blows like prizefighters throughout a pulsating final round. But it was Garcia who landed the knockout blow.
It was the perfect way to celebrate what would have been Ballesteros’ 60th birthday, but he was also motivated by messages from another double Masters champion, Jose Maria Olazabal, and from fiancee Angela Akins.
Garcia said: “The fact it would have been Seve’s birthday definitely popped in my mind a few times. To do it on such a special occasion was amazing. I’m sure he helped a little bit to hit some of those shots or to make some putts.
“And I had a great text from Jose Maria, which was very special because he’s my other idol. Him and Seve have been my golfing idols since I was very, very little.
“Jose Maria told me you know what you have to do, just believe in yourself – because I believe in you.
“He mentioned a couple of things that touched my heart a little bit. He said, ‘I’m not sharing my locker at the moment, and I hope that I get to do it with you’. So if the people here at Augusta wouldn’t mind putting me with José, it would be great!
“He’s a great man and we’ve had a great relationship for many, many years. To be able to join him and Seve as Masters champions from Spain, it’s unbelievable.
“But I have to say, it wasn’t only José Maria. I have had great support from family, and friends, throughout the week and a lot of cute and beautiful notes from my fiancee were stuck in the mirror of the bathroom. All those things helped a lot.”
Akins revealed that the last note she put on the mirror was the one telling him ‘Don’t forget to be amazing’.
Another was a famous Audrey Hepburn quote: “Nothing is impossible – the word itself says I’m possible”.
Winning a first Major after countless near-misses seemed to be an impossible dream at times for Garcia. And there is no doubt being ‘loved up’ helped him finally make the breakthrough.
He added: “Sometimes, I did think about, am I ever going to win one. I’ve had so many good chances and either I lost them or someone has done something extraordinary to beat me. So it did cross my mind.
“But lately, you know, I’ve been getting some good help and I’ve been thinking a little bit more positive. And kind of accepting, too, that if it for whatever reason didn’t happen, my life is still going to go on.
“It’s not going to be a disaster. But I’m glad it’s happened.
“To be totally honest, I'm very happy but I don't feel any different. I'm obviously thrilled about what happened here, but I'm still the same goofy guy, so that's not going to change.
“I think the problem is, because of some of the moments I've had here at Augusta that maybe I haven't enjoyed it so much.
“But I realised how stupid I really was trying to fight against something that you can't fight; and now I’m proud of accepting those things.
“And this week, I've done it better than I ever have. I'm not going to lie; it's not the golf course that I'm most comfortable on, because I've become more of a fader than a drawer of the ball, and this golf course is asking you to hit a lot of draws.
“But I knew that I could still work it around, you know, if I just accepted what was happening. So I'm very proud of that.
“And the thing that really helped me is that I have so many people that care for me and love me and support me. They are making me not only a better golfer but a better person.
“It's not easy, because I know how much of a hard‑headed man I can be sometimes. But it's been great.
“And obviously this is something I wanted to do for a long time but, you know, it never felt like a horror movie. It felt like a little bit of a drama maybe, but obviously with a happy ending.”
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Garcia is due to get married before the Open in July. Texas-born Akins, who works for the Golf Channel as a presenter, refused to be drawn on whether he would be allowed to walk down the aisle in his green jacket.
She said: “We’ll definitely have a picture of him wearing it on our wedding day. But whether he wears it for the actual wedding – we’ll have to see about that.”
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