Sergio Garcia once again fell short in a playoff as he was defeated by Dean Burmester at LIV Golf Miami’s event at Trump National Doral to rob the Spaniard of the perfect preparation for the Masters
Sergio Garcia agonisingly lost the playoff after bogeying the 54th and final hole at LIV Golf Miami
Sergio Garcia suffered further playoff heartbreak as Dean Burmester beat the Spaniard to LIV Golf Miami glory at Trump National Doral ahead of The Masters.
On Sunday, Burmester saved par at the second play-off hole after Garcia found the water to win his first LIV Golf title. After both players made par the first time round, they returned to the tee at the par-four 18th, and Garcia’s second shot landed in the water hazard up the left-hand side.
Garcia holed a fine bogey putt to put the pressure on Burmester, but the South African sunk his three-footer to clinch the Miami title. It’s his first win after four career victories on the DP World Tour while Garcia once again rues a missed opportunity after he held a share of the lead after the first round and a two-stroke advantage after the second.
However, he could not deliver in the play-off. The 2017 Masters champion lost a playoff at last year’s LIV Golf Singapore to Talor Gooch and fell to Chile’s Joaquin Niemann at the 2024 LIV Golf season-opener at Mayakoba.
Deep in the final round, Garcia made an incredible 40-foot birdie putt on the 17th to move to 12-under while Burmester’s bogey at the 18th saw him slip to 11-under. But the 44-year-old could not hold his nerve, missing a birdie putt to condemn him to the playoff where Burmester emerged victorious.
“It’s not the play-offs. I’m doing it (to) myself,” Garcia said. “Obviously a couple of shots here and there. But it’s what it is. You’ve got to keep giving yourself chances and wait for it to happen.”
While he failed to claim the win, Garcia will feel buoyed by his performance ahead of The Masters this week. Garcia played at Augusta last Tuesday and he’s excited to get going and chase another green jacket.
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