Sergio Garcia named European Tour's golfer of the year

Sergio Garcia has been named the European Tour's golfer of the year.

Sergio Garcia has been voted the European Tour's golfer of the year. Picture: Chris O'Meara/AP

The Spaniard ended a long wait for his first major title at the Masters in April and won three tournaments in total, more than any other player.

Garcia defeated Ryder Cup team-mate Justin Rose to win at Augusta National in his 74th major while he was also the champion at the Dubai Desert Classic and on home soil at the Andalucia Valderrama Masters.

The 37-year-old, who also got married in 2017, said: “This is an amazing honour. I think both on and off the golf course it has been a unique and unbelievable year, and one that I will definitely remember my whole life.

“With five of us filling the top five places in the Race to Dubai, it shows the real strength of the European Tour, and European players in particular, and hopefully we will keep that going for next September [at the Ryder Cup] in Paris.”

The award was voted for by a panel of members of the golfing media. Garcia’s countryman Seve Ballesteros won the European Tour’s golfer of the year title on three occasions, in 1986, 1988 and 1991.

l European Senior Tour Order of Merit leader Clark Dennis hopes to finish the season on a high at the MCB Tour Championship in Mauritius, the final event of 2017.

The American leads the race for the John Jacobs Trophy with €202,583, more than €25,000 ahead of South Africa’s Chris Williams, but must finish first or outright second to guarantee the Order of Merit title.