Sergio Garcia on the LIV Tulsa occasion earlier this month.

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DALLAS – The 2023 PGA Championship represented the primary main for which Sergio Garcia had did not qualify in 24 years.

On Monday, Garcia prevented including the U.S. Open to that brief checklist.

With a dramatic back-nine rally on the 36-hole qualifier right here, Garcia — a former Masters winner who signed with LIV Golf final 12 months — completed at nine-under-par 132 to tie for fourth and punch his ticket to the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Nation Membership subsequent month. He shot 66 within the morning spherical at Bent Tree Nation Membership adopted by one other 66 at Northwood Membership within the afternoon to take one of many eight spots out there to the 120-player area.

After his first spherical, Garcia was two pictures off the projected qualifying line. His future was nonetheless unsure when he arrived on the par 5-14th — and eagled it.

“It was such a key second to me,” Garcia stated of his 3 at Northwood’s 14th, a demanding gap that’s flanked by bushes and a creek. “I hit my drive properly within the center then I hit a 3-iron so good, to six toes from the pin, and made the putt. That made the distinction, however I knew I want yet another [birdie] to flee a playoff.”

After pars at 16 and 17, Garcia once more put his drive in the course of the golf green on 18, then knocked a wedge shot to three toes and holed the putt for a closing birdie to maneuver him to 9 below, one away from what turned out to be a 5-for-1 playoff. When the putt dropped, Garcia pumped his fist in entrance of a big group of spectators that had assembled by the inexperienced.

“I performed properly, and I knew what I wanted,” he stated. “I didn’t need to be in a playoff. I’ve carried out that earlier than. It’s fairly scary.”

The information was not so optimistic for Garcia’s fellow LIV commit and former U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell. On Northwood’s par-3 ninth gap — his final of the day — McDowell three-putted to overlook the playoff by a shot.

“I really like this recreation and I really like main championships, and with out world rating factors, I’m going to maintain attempting to get in any manner I can,” McDowell stated, including that he already has registered for Open Championship qualifying.

The U.S. Open qualifier got here only a day after the conclusion of the PGA Championship, which till this 12 months Garcia had performed yearly since his breakout runner-up end on the 1999 version at Medinah. Garcia stated it was powerful to tune into the PGA over the weekend.

“I watched some at dwelling on Sunday, however on the finish of the day I didn’t get in,” he stated. “I might have beloved to get a spot from the PGA, however they didn’t have me on their radar.”

Sporting his LIV crew uniform and bag on the Dallas qualifier, Garcia stated he was thrilled to observe one other LIV professional, Brooks Koepka, win at Oak Hill.

“In fact I used to be joyful when Jon Rahm received the Masters,” Garcia stated of his countryman. “However I’ve gotten to know Brooks over the past two years on LIV and know all he went by, so I’m super-happy for him. It reveals we nonetheless are actually good at taking part in golf and we actually care concerning the recreation no matter what some individuals say about us.”

Requested if qualifying for the U.S. Open paired with Koepka’s PGA victory was vindication for LIV, Garcia turned his head and smiled.

“Vindication,” Garcia stated. “I don’t know what that’s. I’m Spanish, not English.”