Devil Ball Golf 18 for ’15 (Part 13): Sergio Garcia

Welcome into Part 13 of the Devil Ball Golf 18 for ’15, our comprehensive look at golf leading into the year’s first tournament at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. We’re now looking at the top 10 players in the world, and we’ve arrived at Sergio Garcia.

Sergio Garcia turns 35 this week. How did so much time pass from that fairway jump at Medinah to now? And how did all that time pass without Garcia winning a single major championship?

There have been a lot of close calls — 10 top-five finishes in majors, in fact. He was runner-up to Rory McIlroy in the Open Championship in 2014. But it’s never happened for the erstwhile El Nino. That might change in 2015.

Garcia’s a happy man. He’s found love with Katharina Boehm. He seems at peace with what he’s accomplished so far, but also to have shed the dark thoughts that he just isn’t good enough to win a major. He’s won a couple of times in the last 14 months, taking the Thailand Golf Championship in 2013 and the Qatar Masters early last year.

But Garcia hasn’t won in the U.S. since the 2012 Wyndham. Before that? It was a playoff win at The Players in 2008 over Paul Goydos. Garcia’s victories are sporadic in the U.S., but he scooped up a ton of money and world-ranking points with three runner-up finishes in consecutive starts — albeit one each in June, July and August — and a pair of third-place finishes in Houston and at TPC Sawgrass. Garcia was runner-up in the CIMB Classic to kick off the new season, as well. Garcia has no problem getting into contention.

The Spaniard’s a great player but his career will be deemed a disappointment if it doesn’t include a major title. That’s going to be a tough nut to crack in 2015, particularly given the major championship venues for the year.

Garcia’s never beeen all that great at the Masters. He’s missed more cuts there (5) than scored top-10 finishes (3).

He’s missed the cut both times Whistling Straits has hosted the PGA Championship (2004, ’10).

Two of his best U.S. Open finishes of his career have come at Bethpage Black. Another was a late charge at a soggy Congressional when everyone but Rory McIlroy was playing for second place.

If Sergio Garcia is going to get his major, it’s going to be in the Open Championship. Since 2008, Garcia has eight top-10 finishes in the game’s oldest major. He had the Claret Jug in his hands in 2007 before blowing it in a playoff against Padraig Harrington (same could be said for the ’08 PGA, too). Garcia also has a modest record at the Old Course, which hosts this year: T-5 in 2005 and T-14 in a bizarre Open in 2010.

I’m not one for making many bold predictions, but here we go: Expect a typical, solid year from Garcia, but don’t be too shocked if he comes through with his first major at St. Andrews this year.

Read all of the Devil Ball Golf 18 for ’15: