Talk about a historian, Sergio never forgets a shot
Golfers are amazing historians. They play golf everyday on courses all over the world and hit thousands and thousands of shots.
Yet, they can vividly recall the smallest details of long-ago rounds.
Sergio Garcia, the young Spanish sensation, didn't have to be reminded that this year's Chrysler Classic of Greensboro is not the first time he's been to Greensboro.
He remembers well coming here in 1998, as an amateur, to play as an amateur in a tournament at Sedgefield Country Club that was part of what's now called the Nationwide Tour, designed for players trying to advance to the PGA Tour.
"I remember I nearly made a double eagle," he says, referring to a score of two on a par 5 hole.
He says he hit a drive and a second wedge to Sedgefield's Par 5 downhill 5th hole. He nearly holed the wedge.
"Joe made a double eage that week," said Garcia, referring to Joe Ogilvie, the former Duke golf star, who pulled off this rare feat on the same 5th hole and went on to win the tournament.
It was at Sedgefield, Garcia says, that he met Oglivy and they've become best of friends on the big tour.
Garcia also remembers hitting a shot on Sedgefield's 8th hole that landed on the tee at the 9th. He was told the ball was out of bounds.
That led to a big number on his scorescard but he remembers finishing third overall in the tournament. Not bad for an amateur.
He also remembers he couldn't speak much English during that tournament. An interpreter helped him.
"I still don't," he said of his ability to speak English.
Actually, he now speaks it pretty fluently. He needs no help from interpreters.
He's playing in the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro for the first time since turning pro after the Sedgeville event. He said he's returned because of fond memories of the previous visit, good things he had heard about the CCG and about the Forest Oaks course. He was impressed when he watched the tournament on TV in previous years.
