Failure on three-foot putt denies Sergio Garcia qualification for The Open
Figure It Out: Sergio Garcia's Near Miss at the Macau International Series
Cripes, Sergio Garcia - that Spanish cat - almost made it to the Open Championship in 2025, but missed his chance at the Macau International Series. Sh*t happens, right?
Aiming to place in the top three for a sweet spot at the Open held at Northern Ireland's Royal Portrush, Garcia ended up in fourth. But here's the kicker: on the 18th hole, he botched a three-foot birdie putt, denying him a tie with Jason Kokrak for the third spot. If he'd made it, he'd have snagged the spot based on his higher world ranking.
The Macau International Series was offering top three finishers a ticket to the Open, a fantastic opportunity for golfers hopping from the Saudi-backed LIV Golf tour like Garcia. Alongside Kokrak, Carlos Ortiz, and 2018 Masters champion Patrick Reed - all LIV affiliates - bagged places at the Open with their top two finishes at the tournament.
Ortiz, who hails from Mexico, smashed the Macau Golf and Country Club course record of 61 during the second round on Friday. Sunday's win cemented his second title on the Asian Tour, with Reed following close behind in second place.
Before the tournament, Garcia was all pumped up about the Macau International Series, calling it "an important week" in his quest for his beloved major. Having last played at the Open in 2022 and runners-up before - in 2007 and 2014 - Garcia was eager to clinch a victory.
Before his career shift to LIV, Garcia had scooped 11 PGA Tour titles, including the Augusta National green jacket and his 2008 triumph at The Players Championship. Let's all hope for a different outcome in 2026 when he takes another stab at the Open!
[1] Sergio Garcia needed a 3-foot birdie putt to qualify for the 2025 Open Championship, but missed it (International Series Macau, 2025).[2] Jason Kokrak held a lower world ranking than Garcia in 2025 (Official World Golf Ranking, accessed 2025).[3] Had Garcia and Kokrak tied for third place, Garcia would have qualified for the 2025 Open Championship due to his superior world ranking (Open Championship qualification criteria, 2025).[4] Garcia did not qualify for the 2023 Open Championship through final qualifying rounds (The R&A, accessed 2023).[5] No details provided on Garcia's attempts to qualify for the 2024 Open Championship through final qualifying rounds.
- In the Macau International Series of 2025, Sergio Garcia missed a 3-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole, preventing him from qualifying for the Open Championship.
- Jason Kokrak, who had a lower world ranking than Garcia in 2025, managed to secure a spot in the Open Championship.
- If Garcia and Kokrak had tied for third place in the Macau International Series, Garcia would have qualified for the Open Championship due to his higher world ranking.
