Heart-to-heart boosts Garcia

Spain’s Sergio Garcia believes he is finally beginning to deal with his personal issues.
Spain’s Sergio Garcia believes he has had an epiphany at the Home of Golf and turned a corner in dealing with personal issues which have affected his game over the last year.
The Ryder Cup star has plummeted from world number two to 44 in the last 18 months and admits he has been far from happy.
Much of that relates to his split with former girlfriend Morgan Leigh, the daughter of Greg Norman, over a year ago.
Garcia has not won since November last year – in the HSBC Champions event in China – and the 30-year-old’s place on Colin Montgomerie’s Ryder Cup team to face the United States in September is under serious threat.
His performance in the 139th Open at St Andrews has not been great but he followed successive rounds of 71 with a 70 – which included a chip-in eagle at the par-five fifth – and revealed he felt better within himself after a heart-to-heart last night.
“You don’t need to know but it was people that I care about and people that care about me and that’s the important stuff,” said the 30-year-old.
“I think if you’re surrounded by good people you usually become a good person and I’ve been always very fortunate about that.
“My friends, my family, the people I’m working with, they’re definitely helping.
“I can kind of talk it out and say what I’m feeling and kind of let it out of myself instead of kind of keeping it inside. That obviously helps.”
Garcia said he took a different attitude out on to the course today and felt the benefit.
“I’m still not saying that it’s all done but today was definitely a step forward,” he added.
“It’s probably nice (he had an evening of introspection) because it was the kind of day where I was really angry at myself and I kind of let it all out.
“Sometimes I let myself go and get too caught up in the moment. I think that it’s important for me to realise those things and try to enjoy what I do, which is playing golf.
“I’ve always done it, and unfortunately lately it hasn’t been that way.
“I’m just hoping that I can keep doing the same things.
“I still feel like I need a nice rest, but hopefully if the attitude changes a little bit, it should help it.”
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