The ability to perform under pressure is what separates the legends from the rest. And all of golf’s biggest names share it in common.
Tiger Woods and Scottie Scheffler didn’t dominate just because of their skill alone. It was their composure in high-pressure moments that truly set them apart.
On the other side, plenty of talented golfers have seen their reputations tarnished by high-profile collapses. When you hear Jordan Spieth’s name, do you think about his major wins or his Masters collapse?
That seems to be true for one LIV Golf star, according to two-time major winner Tony Jacklin.
Tony Jacklin calls out Sergio Garcia as golf’s biggest underachiever
Sergio Garcia burst onto the golf scene in the late 90s, quickly becoming known as one of the game’s top young talents. He set records early, including being the youngest player to make a European Tour cut and the youngest to join a Ryder Cup team.
His breakout moment came in 1999 when he went toe-to-toe with Tiger Woods at the PGA Championship, though he came up just short by a single stroke. It was a pattern that would repeat throughout his career.
Garcia built a reputation for falling just short at major tournaments, and it wasn’t until the 2017 Masters that he finally broke through with his first win.
Jacklin later called Garcia “the biggest underachiever” in golf, saying he had the talent to win far more than just one major title.
“He’s been one of the best players on the planet for the last 20 years and doesn’t have much to show for it,” Jacklin told Golfweek. “Seve (Ballesteros) had more courage in his little finger than this lad.
“Don’t get me wrong, Sergio has been a prolific winner, but he had the ability to win double-digit majors. (Lee) Trevino once said, ‘God never gave one man everything.’ Garcia would be one that jumps out to me.”
Garcia does hold an impressive Ryder Cup record as its all-time points leader and often delivered strong performances in those matches. But that success didn’t always carry over into individual events.
How the 2007 Open Championship slipped away from Sergio Garcia
Sergio Garcia was three strokes clear heading into Sunday, and it looked like this would finally be his major breakthrough. He’d been in front since day one after an opening-round 65, and with Tiger Woods nowhere near the leaders, it felt like Garcia’s to lose.
But as Sunday unfolded, so did Garcia’s grip on the lead. Three bogeys over four holes gave the rest of the field a chance to catch up. Padraig Harrington made his move but then doubled the 18th, seemingly handing it back to Garcia.
Garcia just needed a par on the final hole to seal it, but he pulled a 3-iron into a bunker near the green. Even though he recovered well enough to give himself an eight-footer for the win, his putt lipped out—a moment that stuck with him for years.
The miss meant a playoff over four holes with Harrington. A bogey from Garcia and a birdie from Harrington on the first hole gave Padraig an early advantage that he never let go of.
It was another close call for Garcia in majors—a pattern that followed him until he finally broke through at Augusta ten years later.
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