By Mark Garrod, PA Sport Golf Correspondent

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Sergio Garcia accomplished something very rare last year - something Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman have never achieved and Tiger Woods has managed only once in his career.

But finishing in the top 10 of all four Majors must seem a distant memory now for the 23-year-old Spaniard as he prepares for the US Open starting on Thursday at Olympia Fields near Chicago.

Garcia has missed five of his last six halfway cuts on the US Tour, the exception being his 28th place in the Masters in April, and has yet to have a top-10 finish in any tournament anywhere in the world all season.

So if a European is to end the 33-year wait for someone to emulate Tony Jacklin, then it will be a massive shock if that someone is Garcia on Sunday.

He accepts that himself and also accepts that it might be a while yet before he is seen in full flow again - one of golf's most exciting sights.

The Ryder Cup star has embarked on swing changes and is prepared to wait as long as it takes to feel comfortable.

"It's hard to go 'OK, we've got to change this'," he says.

"If it ain't broke, why fix it? But I talked to my dad and the timing is perfect.

"Even if we lose this year, the chances of becoming a better player is greater than the chances of ending my career.

"My game needs to improve to do well because in a US Open your whole game has to be spot-on, but I'm getting there."

Tiger Woods has commented: "Everyone knew he'd have to make changes in his swing and he's doing that now. It's the same thing I did."

The difference, though, is that the world number one had already won his first Major, the 1997 Masters, by 12 shots when he decided to refine his swing to make it tighter and more consistent.

That is what Garcia seeks too - and it is the fact that his four top 10s last season did not include anything better than fourth at the US Open which led him to realise he had to do something now rather than later.

"My career has been pretty good," he said.

"I've won quite a lot of tournaments in four years (three in America, four in Europe, one in South Africa and one in Korea).

"That's not too bad and I had four good chances at the Majors. That's pretty good stuff.

"But I've got to keep working and that's why I wanted to do these changes, to be more consistent, so when I get in those positions I don't have to rely on having perfect tempo."

Last June at Bethpage he was paired with Woods in the final group on the final day and began much the better of the two. But Woods had the cushion of a four-stroke overnight lead, got into his stride and in the end Garcia shot 74 and was overtaken by Phil Mickelson and Jeff Maggert.

At the Masters he had also been four behind Woods and returned a 75 to be only eighth, then at the Open he was three behind Ernie Els and with a 69 closed the gap by only one.

The 2001 US Open had been another of his opportunities. There his deficit was only one after three rounds, but rather than denying Retief Goosen he faded away with a 77.

"You learn from your mistakes and you have to be patient. You have to keep putting yourself in position to win," added Garcia.

The one final round he cannot be disappointed with was, of course, the 1999 US PGA Championship - even though he lost by one.

Only 19 at the time, Garcia gave Woods a terrific run for his money, hitting that amazing shot from the base of a tree on Medinah's 16th hole and running after it to see where it had flown.

"I know they all remember me for that," Garcia said. "You can say that was my signature shot."

He would love to replace it with one that wins him a Major. But he knows he still might have to wait a while for that.