Sergio Garcia triumphs at Ho Tram Open

• Sergio Garcia wins Ho Tram Open in after four-way play-off
• The Spaniard admitted he was ‘fortunate’ to take the title
• “This will help give me more confidence,” said the 35-year-old

Sergio Garcia admitted he was ‘fortunate’ to win the inaugural Ho Tram Open after triumphing in a four-man play-off for his first win in almost two years.

The Spaniard was up against Himmat Rai, Thaworn Wiratchant and Lin Wen-tang in extra holes after they all finished their final rounds at The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip on 14-under-par. And after Wiratchant and overnight leader Lin bowed out at the first extra hole, a par was enough at the second play-off hole for Garcia to clinch his 23rd career victory.

“This win will help give me a little bit more confidence”

“Winning is never easy,” said delighted Sergio Garcia afterwards. “I was fortunate and you have to be lucky to win. I was fortunate to get a second chance after I pretty much gave it away. I’m very happy as I haven’t won in a while. After you’ve been up there and you don’t win, a lot of things go through your mind and this win will help give me a little bit more confidence.

“It was a strange day. It felt like I was so much under control, the way I played the front nine. Then I hit a bad tee shot on 10 but I still managed to get it back together and had some chances which I didn’t make. Then I hit a poor shot on 17.

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“I guess they gave me a hat in my hand, I gave it away and they gave me another chance. It was just luck for me. I had 30 to 35 feet (in the first play-off hole), and even if you hit a great putt, you need to get lucky. Then I managed to get to the next hole and unfortunately Rai pulled it a bit left into the bushes and I managed to make four and that was it.”

It’s a welcome win for the 35-year-old, who hasn’t tasted success since overcoming Mikko Ilonen in a play-off at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters, after enduring a pretty quiet 2015.

Garcia enjoyed positive showings in three of the year’s four majors, finishing T6 at the Open and top 20s in both the Masters and US Open, while he agonisingly missed out in a play-off at the Players Championship following an inspired comeback by Rickie Fowler.

Sergio Garcia :: A big year in 2016?

Will this win give Sergio Garcia the confidence boost he needs going into next year and can he break his major duck? Leave your thoughts in the ‘Comments’ section below.