Sergio Garcia calls Major qualifiers ‘difficult’ despite missing only one Masters outing in 23 years

Sergio Garcia has opened up about the difficulty of qualifying for the Majors. Garcia has a stellar record in golf Majors, but he failed to qualify for the US Open 2024 and the upcoming Open Championship 2024. However, he played in the US Open after receiving entry as an alternate.

Garcia emerged victorious at the recent 2024 LIV Golf Andalucia. The tournament concluded on Sunday, July 14, at Real Club Valderrama in Andalucia, Spain. In the post-tournament, the 44-year-old said that LIV Golf has helped him remain competitive. Garcia talked about his longevity in Majors, saying:

"I've been very fortunate to play pretty much every single Major since the British Open in 99 until 2023, I only missed the Masters because of COVID. And even though you realize that the Majors are super important and it's what we love to play and stuff." (9:34-9:51)

Sergio Garcia has played in every Masters from 1999 to 2024 except in 2020 because of COVID-19. He has played in every US Open from 2000 to 2024. The 2017 Masters champion didn't miss any PGA Championship from 1999 until 2022 when he joined LIV Golf. He has also played in every Open Championship from 1998 to 2022.

Garcia further said (via Ten Golf):

"When you get the chance of playing so many in a row you start forgetting how difficult it actually is to make it into those Majors. This last year and a half or so I've realized how difficult it is going and playing qualifiers and stuff like that. And you're playing one day you hit two bad shots and you're out." (9:52-10:30)

Garcia further said that the recent qualifying challenges in the US Open 2024 and Open Championship 2024 have given him a new perspective on the importance of Majors. He said that securing a spot in Majors is hard and he is determined to compete in as many Majors as possible.

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A look at Sergio Garcia's performance in Majors

Sergio Garcia has won one Major in his golf career. He won the Masters tournament in 2017 in playoffs with a birdie on the first extra hole against Justin Rose. His best performance in the PGA Championship was in 1999 and 2008 where he finished second and tied for second, respectively.

Let's take a look at Sergio Garcia's performances in the Masters tournament and the PGA Championship:

Masters Tournament

• 2000: T40
• 2001: CUT
• 2002: 8
• 2003: T28
• 2004: T4
• 2005: CUT
• 2006: 46
• 2007: CUT
• 2008: CUT
• 2009: T38
• 2010: T45
• 2011: T35
• 2012: T12
• 2013: T8
• 2014: CUT
• 2015: T17
• 2016: T34
• 2017: 1
• 2018: CUT
• 2019: CUT
• 2020:
• 2021: CUT
• 2022: T23
• 2023: CUT
• 2024: CUT

PGA Championship

• 1999: 2
• 2000: T34
• 2001: CUT
• 2002: T10
• 2003: CUT
• 2004: CUT
• 2005: T23
• 2006: T3
• 2007: DQ
• 2008: T2
• 2009: CUT
• 2010: CUT
• 2011: T12
• 2012: CUT
• 2013: T61
• 2014: T35
• 2015: T54
• 2016: CUT
• 2017: CUT
• 2018: CUT
• 2019: CUT
• 2020: CUT
• 2021: CUT
• 2022: CUT

Sergio Garcia's best performance in the US Open came in 2005 when he finished T3. His best performances in the Open Championship came in 2007 and 2014 when he finished second and tied for second, respectively.

Let's take a look at Sergio Garcia's performances in the US Open and the Open Championship:

U.S. Open

• 2000: T46
• 2001: T12
• 2002: 4
• 2003: T35
• 2004: T20
• 2005: T3
• 2006: CUT
• 2007: CUT
• 2008: T18
• 2009: T10
• 2010: T22
• 2011: T7
• 2012: T38
• 2013: T45
• 2014: T35
• 2015: T18
• 2016: T5
• 2017: T21
• 2018: CUT
• 2019: T52
• 2020: CUT
• 2021: T19
• 2022: CUT
• 2023: T27
• 2024: T12

The Open Championship

• 1996: CUT
• 1998: T29
• 1999: CUT
• 2000: T36
• 2001: T9
• 2002: T8
• 2003: T10
• 2004: CUT
• 2005: T5
• 2006: T5
• 2007: 2
• 2008: T51
• 2009: T38
• 2010: T14
• 2011: T9
• 2012: CUT
• 2013: T21
• 2014: T2
• 2015: T6
• 2016: T5
• 2017: T37
• 2018: CUT
• 2019: T67
• 2020: NT
• 2021: T19
• 2022: T68