Garcia tees up for Masters chance Down Under

SPANIARD Sergio Garcia declared himself a contender to win this week’s Australian Masters as he continues his comeback from a self-imposed exile from the game.

With his putting deserting him, his ranking crashing to 68 from a career-high world No.2 in March 2009, and without a tournament win since 2008, Garcia took two months off after losing his cool in a bunker at the US PGA Championship. He said he now felt refreshed and had a renewed appetite for golf.

“It’s been great, it’s something I needed to do, mainly because I have been playing so much, as a professional and an amateur too,” Garcia said yesterday. “I needed some recharge in the batteries. I feel good and I can start to get back into the game.”