Spanish sensation Sergio Garcia picked up an early birthday present after
winning the Mercedes Championship in Hawaii - and his caddie won't be
complaining either.
Garcia sank a 10-foot birdie putt on the first play-off hole to defeat David
Toms and claim the PGA Tour's season-opening tournament.
The European Ryder Cup ace, who celebrates his 21st birthday on Wednesday,
started the day four shots off the pace but fired a nine-under-par 64 to match
Toms at 18 under par on 274.
The pair opened the play-off at the 663-yard, par-five 18th, where Toms caught
the rough with his second shot and left his third 30ft right of the pin.
Garcia slipped a 50-yard chip 10ft past the flag and, after Toms two-putted
for par, the Spaniard converted the birdie opportunity to claim his third career
PGA Tour title.
As well as the 720,000 US dollars in prize money, Garcia also won a car from
the sponsors.
He already owns a Mercedes SLK 320 but doesn't plan on keeping it.
"I'm going to give that one to my caddie," he said. "And I'm going to keep
this one."
Toms shot a 66 in calm but damp conditions at the Plantation Course and fell
just shy of his fourth title since last May.
World number one Tiger Woods, who followed consecutive 74s with a 65, finished
tied for 10th place on 281.
After claiming nine titles, including three majors, in 2000, Woods won just
once in his last nine starts of 2001 and failed to crack the top 10 in the other
eight.
"I think this is becoming a tour again," Garcia said. "It used to be a tour
and a guy. Now, it's becoming a tour again. So it's great to be able to be on
that tour."
Final scores from Mercedes Championship, Plantation Course, Maui, Hawaii (USA unless stated, Par 73):
274 S Garcia (Spa) 73 69 68 64, D Toms 69 66 72 67 (Garcia wins on first play-off hole)
275 K Perry 68 67 71 69
277 J Furyk 67 72 73 65
278 S McCarron 71 72 69 66, M Calcavecchia 72 66 71 69, C DiMarco 67 72 68 71
279 S Verplank 67 69 70 73
280 B Faxon 71 71 69 69
281 T Woods 68 74 74 65, B Estes 70 70 71 70
282 D Duval 67 71 72 72
283 J Edwards 69 71 71 72
284 R Goosen (Rsa) 69 71 77 67, M Weir (Can) 63 74 74 73
287 D Love III 69 72 78 68, T Pernice Jr 70 70 75 72
288 C Beckman 67 73 75 73, J Leonard 70 72 75 71
289 J Durant 73 73 74 69, F Lickliter 66 74 77 72
290 S Hoch 72 75 73 70, S Maruyama (Jpn) 72 75 72 71, R Allenby (Aus) 74 72 71
73
291 S Stricker 71 70 79 71
292 H Sutton 75 73 76 68, J Parnevik (Swe) 74 75 72 71
293 J Cook 72 69 78 74
296 D Gossett 74 78 72 72
298 J Sluman 74 76 78 70, R Damron 69 73 85 71
304 G Willis 77 80 74 73
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