‘Of course not’ – Sergio Garcia hits back after historic US Open start

Sergio Garcia’s week is only getting better.

The Spaniard looked destined to miss out on the action at Pinehurst this week, after losing in a 7-for-6 play-off at final qualifying last month.

But Garcia was added to the field on Monday as a first alternate before joining a historic club on Thursday.

He became only the sixth player to go bogey-free during a US Open round at Pinehurst No.2.

And after the round, Garcia was bullish on his chances, insisting he has nothing to prove in the game.

• Top coach blasts US Open setup

• PGA Tour board to vote on special Tiger Woods exemption

“Do I have to prove anything? No, of course not,” he said. “No, I mean, I love what I do, which is playing golf. I’m a competitor. I try to do it the best I can.

“Would I like to play better and better every day? Of course I would. Who wouldn’t. When it comes down to proving things, I don’t think so. I think I’ve done well enough.”

The 44-year-old is competing in his 25th consecutive US Open this week, and his third championship at the Donald Ross-designed classic.

Now a Masters champion and a six-time Ryder Cup winner, he made his tournament debut in 2000 at the age of 20.

• Rory McIlroy ‘more confident than ever’ of winning fifth major

• Tiger Woods responds to brutal US Open test

Garcia had made plans to arrive at Pinehurst even if he wasn’t in the field, in the hope of grasping a spot at the eleventh hour.

And a one-under-par round of 69 certainly justified his place in the lineup.

“Obviously to shoot under par in a U.S. Open, which is a championship that I love, it’s always great,” Garcia said. “To go bogey-free is even greater. It’s something that I give a lot of respect to, and I’m very proud of.

“I’ve had the pleasure of playing this championship 25 years in a row, so not a lot of people get to do that, so I’m very, very happy to be here, and that’s why I keep trying to qualify and make it here.

“Very happy about the way I played, the way I managed my game throughout the whole round, and how patient I stayed all day.”

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.