Sergio Garcia believes 2017 has been the best year of his career so far as he looks to end his campaign on a high at the Australian PGA Championship.
The Spaniard is a three-time winner on the European Tour this year, with a maiden major success at Augusta coming either side of victories at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and the Andalucia Valderrama Masters.
Garcia makes his debut in this week’s event at RACV Royal Pines resort and his first appearance in Australia since 2010, with the 37-year-old aiming to continue his “top” campaign.
“It (2017) sits on top,” he said. “I think 2017 and 2008 are definitely the best years I’ve had in my career.
“This one is a little bit more special because I won three times in Europe which I’ve never done in my career. Obviously winning the Masters, getting married, expecting a little baby girl, so it is definitely top.
“Last week I was a little bit tired and probably because of that, mentally, I wasn’t quite as sharp and probably that’s why I struggled a little bit on the greens more than I usually do. But that doesn’t mean that if I get in a good rhythm here I can’t have a great week.”
The Masters champion tees off alongside Adam Scott and last week’s Hong Kong Open winner Wade Ormsby for the first two rounds, with Marc Leishman among the others to feature.
Garcia is the highest-ranked player in the field on the Gold Coast this week, with the European star confident of plenty more success in the coming years.
“Fortunately or unfortunately for me, that expectation and that kind of outside pressure has always been there,” Garcia added. “I think at the end of the day what matters is what I expect from myself.
“If someone comes to me and says ‘next year you should win six times and one or two majors’, I know what I want to do and I know where my expectations are and I know what I need to improve on.
“I know that my game is still in great shape. And I’m still fairly young, so I can still achieve many, many things.”
