I’ve said for quite a while that if Sergio Garcia could ever re-gain the putting form he showed as a teen phenom, he could challenge Tiger Woods. Garcia is one of the best ball-strikers in the game, and one of the worst putters.

Garcia won The Players Championship Sunday, but even though he putted well in the final round, he’s still a long way from taking on the best in the world on a consistent basis.

I was dying to see him line up a knee-knocker in the playoff with Paul Goydos, but of course Goydos’ water ball on the 17th hole in the playoff took care of that.

Garcia did sink a crucial putt on No. 18 to get into the playoff, but he’s missed too many in his career, and even a few at The Players he should have made.

Most everyone who follows golf remember his choke-ridden putting performance at the last year’s British Open.

“I don’t want to be cocky or anything, but when I’m feeling good I don’t think anybody else can hit the ball much better than me, not even Tiger Woods, who’s an unbelievable player,” Garcia told the media Sunday. “…I can still manage to beat him at that.

“Unfortunately, his short game is still better than mine and that’s what I have to keep working on. If I keep doing that and believing in myself, I can at least make it difficult for him.”

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