Sergio Garcia Shines with Bogey-Free Round at 124th US Open

In a captivating display at the 124th US Open, veteran golfer Sergio Garcia made the most of his late call-up, delivering a rare bogey-free round at the Pinehurst course. The former Masters champion, who was in danger of missing his 25th consecutive appearance in golf’s toughest major, found himself as the first alternate and was granted a spot in the field on Monday.

Garcia, who finished third at the 2005 US Open held at the same venue, showcased his expertise and resilience, carding 17 pars and a solitary birdie to become just the sixth player to achieve a bogey-free round in a US Open at Pinehurst. The last time the Spaniard accomplished this feat in the opening round of a major was during his 2017 Masters victory.

“Obviously to shoot under par in a US Open, which is a championship that I love, it’s always great. To go bogey-free is even greater. It’s something that I give a lot of respect to, and I’m very proud of.”

The veteran golfer’s impressive performance on Thursday came on the heels of a narrow miss in the final qualifying round in Dallas, where he lost out in a seven-for-six playoff, making a bogey on the first extra hole.

Despite the early setback, Garcia remained determined to secure his place in the field and make the most of the opportunity. “I’ve had the pleasure of playing this championship 25 years in a row and not a lot of people get to do that, so I’m very, very happy to be here and that’s why I keep trying to qualify and make it here,” he added.

The Spaniard’s one-under-par 69 could potentially be near the winning total on Sunday, as he believes the challenging nature of the Pinehurst course will limit the number of low scores. “If it doesn’t rain, I don’t think so. I think if you’re able to stay around par, maybe one under like I did today, I don’t think you’re going to be far away,” Garcia concluded.

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