Sergio Garcia described LIV Golf as the “future” when he joined the breakaway league in 2022. According to Garcia, the league brought something different to the sport in comparison to the PGA Tour, saying, “Pretty much every tournament you play on Tour is the same,” back then. While he has found success with LIV Golf and it does offer him a different challenge, the allure of competing and winning a major remains as high as ever. In fact, recently, the Spaniard sounded positive when talked about the possibility of him still winning a second major championship, despite his abysmal qualifying record for these events since joining LIV. As he prepares for the Masters, Garcia is keen to make amends as he looks back at his 2017 win.

Garcia is among a host of LIV pros who have seen their World Golf Ranking points go down. This has hurt his major championship status in recent years after joining the rival tour. He missed the 2023 PGA Championship after falling down the world rankings, meaning his run of qualifying for every Major since 1999 was brought to an end. He then also missed The Open in July 2023, before again missing both Majors last year. Moreover, he also missed the US Open after failing to qualify last year in agonizing fashion. But things might be looking up for him.

He has put in some solid performances in the LIV Golf season so far, securing a  T6 finish in Riyadh followed by a T18 in Adelaide. Now, he has his eyes set on achieving a first Masters win since 2017. In an Instagram post, he recalled the mix of nerves and excitement he felt heading into the final round of the Masters, tied for the lead with Justin Rose. Garcia eventually prevailed on the first sudden-death playoff hole and in his post talked about what made the win so special while sending a message ahead of his 100th major appearance.

Uploading the video from his win on April 9, 2017, he said, “When it comes down to how I managed to win the Masters… Rose was playing great, we were going to a playoff, and I think, ‘Okay if you make birdie, you’re not gonna lose.’ I hit my putt and it kind of curls into the left side. I remember the cheers; it was unbelievable like I still get goosebumps. It’s just a dream come true and a feeling and an experience that it was second to none.” Garcia’s IG post was also accompanied by a message capturing his excitement for his return to Augusta on April 10.

“40 days away from my 100th major in Augusta. Couldn’t be more excited and grateful for the opportunity to compete at the 2025 Masters,” the caption read.

As Garcia prepares to compete in the 2025 Masters, his nostalgia serves as a reminder of his past glory and eagerness to create new memories at Augusta. Despite his lackluster performances in terms of qualifying for the majors after joining LIV Golf, he remains hopeful of adding a second major championship to his name.

“If I have one of those weeks where I’m feeling comfortable and things kind of go my way and everything snowballs in the right direction, yes, for sure,” Garcia told LIV’s editorial lead Mike McAllister when asked about his chances of winning another major championship. “It’s just a matter of trying to get myself in as many majors as possible. Obviously, if you have three or four chances a year, the odds are a little bit better than if you’re just playing one or two. But I feel like my game is still in great shape. Yeah, I could definitely have a chance.”

Picking LIV Golf over the PGA Tour has come with its drawbacks, something that the Spaniard has been vocal about.

“People might think that it was a very easy decision. It wasn’t super difficult, but it wasn’t as easy as some people might think, because obviously you knew you were potentially giving up some things,” “People might think that it was a very easy decision,” García admitted. “It wasn’t super difficult, but it wasn’t as easy as some people might think, because obviously you knew you were potentially giving up some things,” Garcia admitted on The Howie Games podcast recently.

While missing on majors has not been ideal for him, Garcia has been able to perform well on LIV. Last year, he claimed his first individual LIV Golf win beating overnight leader Anirban Lahiri in a playoff for the Andalucia title. His Fireballs team also won the team title at the tournament after winning a playoff over the Crushers.

He finished third in LIV’s individual standings last year and this season he has had a solid start with his Fireballs team registering a win in Adelaide.

Meanwhile, for Garcia, the disappointment of missing out on majors recently lingers, but things are looking up for him.

Even though he will have to face qualification for U.S. Open and The Open, Garcia revealed in February that he received an invite to the U.S. PGA Championship at Quail Hollow in May. Also, at the end of last year, he confirmed that he would be returning to the DP World Tour in 2025, two years after his membership with the Tour was terminated.

With Garica eyeing one more major championship and two confirmed appearances this year, he would hope to replicate the magic of his 2017 win which was made more special because of Rose’s amazing sportsmanship and their long-standing friendship.

Justin Rose believed “nobody deserved” the 2017 Masters trophy than Sergio Garcia

The 2017 win García’s first major title in his 74th start. Notably, he had to go play an extra hole to secure it after he missed a seven-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole that would have ended the tournament in regulation. The pair had finished tied on nine under par after closing rounds of 69. Rose had overturned a turned a deficit to lead by a shot after 16 holes. But he managed only to bogey the 17th and then failed to convert a birdie attempt from seven feet on the last. This opened up a chance for Garcia, but his putt flashed wide before he was able to secure the win in the playoff.

Sergio Garcia finally got his hands on a major title, and it was made all the sweeter by Justin Rose’s incredible sportsmanship. I mean, can you imagine coming so close to winning, only to see your friend and rival take the crown? It’s a tough pill to swallow, but Rose’s response was pure class. “We’ve played a lot of golf together since we were about 14 years old,” Rose said. “We’ve always had a good friendship and a good camaraderie and good rivalry.”

He congratulated Garcia with a warmth and sincerity that was genuinely touching. Rose’s words to Garcia spoke volumes about the kind of person he is – gracious, humble, and respectful. “Nobody deserved it more than you do,” he said, and you could tell he meant every word. Garcia’s win was the culmination of years of hard work and perseverance, and Rose’s acknowledgment of that made the moment even more special.

But what made Rose’s gesture even more impressive was the context of the tournament. Garcia and Rose had been locked in a fierce battle all day, trading blows and neither giving an inch. Rose had played some of the best golf of his life, shooting a 69 to force a playoff.

But in the end, it was Garcia who emerged victorious, sinking a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to win the title. Despite the disappointment of coming so close, Rose’s reaction was a testament to his character. He could have easily been bitter or frustrated, but instead, he chose to be gracious and congratulatory. It was a moment that showed the true spirit of golf and one that will be remembered for a long time to come.