Major champion Sergio Garcia explains why his focus has now switched to winning the BMW International Open.
What are your thoughts on being back in Germany and on playing this course?
Sergio García: “It’s great to be back. I’m a big fan of Germany and the BMW International Open. The golf course looks good, too. Some new tees have been added and it feels like the course is playing a little bit longer than it used to. The weather has been great as well and if the course keeps drying out it could be a nice test.”
How has your form been since you won the Masters?
García: “I felt like I played okay last week at the US Open. It was fairly solid, but not a lot of things happened. I’m fairly jet-lagged now and need to get my energy levels up a little bit and make sure that I’m out there playing hard.”
How does it feel playing golf when you’re jet-lagged?
García: “You just feel a little bit flat. Your body just doesn’t move at the same speed that you’re used to. Hopefully by tomorrow morning, I will be fully geared up and ready to go.”
Is it difficult to maintain your focus after reaching the pinnacle of the game by winning the Masters?
García: “No. The goal at every tournament is to play the best you can to give yourself a chance of winning. After winning the Masters, that’s no different. Obviously that was an amazing high, but my career doesn’t end at the Masters and I still want to achieve many more things. There are still a lot of things that I need to keep improving on.”
You lost this event in a play-off to Pablo Larrazábal in 2011. Do you feel it owes you?
García: “No, I don’t think anybody, or anything, owes anyone anything. Pablo played really well that year and, unfortunately for me, he beat me. I’m sure it’s the same way that Justin Rose feels about Augusta this year. I’ve always said that if you give it your best, there’s nothing else you can do. The only thing left to do is to go out there and play the best I can this week and, hopefully, put myself in that same position again and see if I can change the outcome.”
