Tiger Woods is placed to make his return to Augusta Nationwide on April 5. USA TODAY Sports
AUGUSTA, Ga. – As Sergio Garcia walked towards the first green at Royal Birkdale during a practice round ahead of final year’ s British Open, he or she was joined in the fairway simply by his favorite playing partner, their wife, Angela.
“ I had just strike my second shot, and she came along and we’ re walking over the fairway and she’ s offering me a hug and a kiss plus there was just something different, ” Garcia said. “ She was cheerful and glowing and was therefore happy.
“ I said, ‘ What is going on? ” ’
The 2 stopped in the middle of the fairway, Angela still beaming and Garcia nevertheless wondering, when she moved into whisper in his ear.
“ We’ re expecting, ” she said.
Garcia was stunned.
“ I was actually happy, but I was holding back again because we were in the middle of the fairway and I didn’ t want to shout with joy and jump down and up and have the fans wonder that which was going on. But we started embracing each other and jumping up and down a bit, ” Garcia said. “ I’ ve always dreamed of being a dad. Then she told me we are expecting. It was amazing. ”
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Eight months later, another life-changing moment greeted the two. Azalea Adele Garcia came into the world on Mar 14 in Austin.
While her dad once a new tormented relationship with Augusta Nationwide and the Masters, the little girl has been named for the beautiful flowers that will bloom at the famous golf club. Plus Azalea is the name of the thirteenth hole, home to two crucial moments in Garcia’ s 1st major championship triumph.
In delivering his own transformative moment in last year’ s i9000 Masters and ending a 0-for-73 stretch of futility in majors, the 38-year-old Spaniard was to the receiving end of good fortune within the par-5 13th.
Within Saturday’ s third round, their second shot was destined in order to sink into Rae’ s Creek, but somehow the ball remained up on a bank, from where the guy who often blamed the golfing gods for his misfortune obtained up-and-down for a birdie instead of creating a likely bogey.
And in Sunday’ s round, Garcia, trailing by two with 6 to play, hooked his tee photo into a bush left of Rae’ s Creek but managed to conserve par and not lose any floor after taking a penalty drop.
From there, Garcia produced birdie on the 14th and a magnificent eagle on the 15th and defeat Justin Rose on the first playoff hole to get his first main win.
Their last stroke from 12 ft in the playoff capped a week associated with outstanding ball-striking and clutch placing, composure and patience for Garcia, who often searched for excuses instead of solutions.
“ I didn’ t let stuff bother me too much. Consciously I used to be telling myself to not let items bother me, ” Garcia stated. “ That week I certainly felt different. I felt crisper, I felt more comfortable, more confident.
“ And all those activities kept adding up. ”
The victory resonated around the globe. Text messages were sent from Jack port Nicklaus, Rickie Fowler, Andy Garcia and Rafael Nadal, to name some of the 500 Garcia received.
Rory McIlroy cried along with joy in his rental home for their good friend’ s triumph.
And Luke Donald’ s three young daughters had been deliriously jumping up and down in Lakewood ranch.
“ These people love Sergio, ” Donald stated. “ He’ s Uncle Sergio. ”
Upon Augusta National’ s grounds, Glenn Murray, who has been on the handbag for 28 of Garcia’ t 33 professional victories, was optimistic.
“ Whenever you’ ve been around as long as I got, and been a part of all the heartache, you really can’ t explain just how happy you are for him, ” Murray said. “ The stress builds up. His patience was constantly there. The desire to play well, in order to win, to get better, never changed.
“ And there isn’t one golfer out here that has played with him who would deny your pet a major. Amongst his peers that’ s one of the best things to know. ”
After the weight of being the best gamer never to have won a major have been lifted, Sergio and Angela Garcia celebrated across the globe and were surprised by the unrestrained thrills of followers when they caught a glimpse associated with Garcia and the green jacket.
It made an appearance in the couple’ s wedding. Garcia had been wearing it on the soccer frequency when he took the ceremonial kickoff before the El Clasico in between Real Madrid and Barcelona since 90, 000 roared.
“ When we stepped from the car at the stadium and the individuals saw the green jacket, they will started chanting his name and they began running up to him. I remember We told Sergio that this is what Beyoncé and Jay-Z must feel like, ” Angela Garcia said.
Sergio Garcia smiled whenever asked about that day. And he smiled when asked how often he or she thinks back to his special 7 days in Augusta.
“ Obviously, it was one of the most incredible weeks of our lives, ” Garcia said. “ But at the same time, Angela’ s grandpa used to say, ‘ If you keep one eye over the past and one eye on the upcoming, you’ re going to be cockeyed on the present. ’ You need to concentrate on the present. ”
Ah, yes, the famous words from the Akins household. Angela understands all about them, and her husband to be became aware of them shortly after both began dating in late 2015.
Garcia started obtaining motivational text messages from his wife’ s father, Marty, a former All-American quarterback who ran the wishbone for the Texas Longhorns. Garcia furthermore started sitting for long talks with Marty and his wife’ ersus grandfather, Robert, at the Akins farm in Texas.
Garcia rapidly welcomed the Akins adages.
“ What you believe and what you believe is who you are. ”
“ Someone else is practicing and they’ lso are getting better than you today. ”
“ Best of luck comes with hard work. ”
“ There are three types of people: Those who make things occur, those who watch things happen, and people who wonder what the hell occurred. ”
Grand daddy Akins died in December, but the text messages continue through Marty and Angela. During the Masters, Angela peppered an image in the rental home with inspiring estimates.
One was out to Garcia from his spouse:
“ Don’ t forget to be awesome. ”
“ I actually made sure he had nothing but positive ideas in his head that week, ” Angela said. “ And he do a phenomenal job staying individual and not getting down. Sergio is usually laid back, lighthearted; he takes elements in stride off the golf course. He’ s worked really hard to move that to the golf course. ”
Sunday he went down Magnolia Lane for the first time like a champion. Then he almost walked in to the wrong locker room. At the final second, he remembered that he needed to turn left and walk in the stairs to the Champions Locker Space, where he found out his locker partner is fellow Spaniard Jose Nancy Olazabal.
Plus during a practice round with his dad, Victor, Garcia’ s family, which includes Azalea, took pictures of the group to the 13th hole.
Garcia still needs to create the particular menu for the Champions Dinner upon Tuesday night and put together the speech.
After which he’ ll begin defense associated with his title Thursday.
“ It is so particular, ” Garcia said of their return to the Masters. “ The particular drive down Magnolia Lane, it’ t a different feeling, a special feeling. To get Azalea come and see where the concept of her name came from is incredible. It’ s an amazing combination of emotions and sensations.
“ I’ ve had an excellent career and an amazing life, and today it’ s even better. Winning the particular Masters, marrying my best friend and incredible woman like Angela, seeing lovely Azalea every day. We can’ capital t wait to see what the future retains for us. ”
