Thomas Bjorn backs Sergio Garcia to find form in time for Ryder Cup
By Keith Jackson
Last Updated: 07/08/18 5:54pm
Thomas Bjorn remains confident Sergio Garcia can turn his form around in time to make the Ryder Cup team next month.
Garcia has endured a disappointing run of results this summer since missing the cut at The Masters in April, and he has failed to make the weekend in six of his last 10 starts while posting only one top-10 finish.
The Spaniard has slipped to 23rd in the world rankings having been ninth when he arrived at Augusta National, and he has not made the halfway cut in any of the three majors this season.
He will be determined to put that right in this week's PGA Championship at Bellerive, and European captain Bjorn is hopeful Garcia can still play his way onto the team via automatic qualification rather than rely on being a captain's pick when the 12-man side is finalised on September 5.
"Sergio is a world-class player and he's got some weeks ahead of him where he wants to go out and achieve things," said Bjorn, who will announce his four captain's picks in a special live show on Sky Sports three days after qualification ends in Denmark on September 2.
"But we also know that Sergio is the type of player that can turn it around in a week or two and then, all of a sudden, he goes on a great run of form.
"World-class players, all of them have ups and downs, and the last few weeks he hasn't played his best, but he's still bobbling around. There are some good signs here and there, and he can turn it around very quickly.
"Sergio is Sergio, he has so many qualities and I know what the qualities are. Sergio won't be happy with where he's been with his game over the last few months, so I'm sure he would like to go out and put in a few good performances because that will make him feel good about where he is.
"Knowing him very well, he tees it up every week to try and go and win golf tournaments, and I would like to see something from him," added Bjorn, who hinted Garcia is not automatically guaranteed a wildcard pick unless he produces better form over the final four qualifying events.
"It still comes back to what's the makeup of the team," Bjorn said. "Does he fit in there? If he doesn't make it on merit, does he fit in there with where he is going through all of those points that I put down of making my picks?
"So I have to wait and see. But for Sergio's sake, I would like to see him probably putting in a bit better performances than he has because he's such a quality player and he brings so much to a European team when he's on form."
Bjorn is also hoping to see fellow Dane Thorbjorn Olesen make his team for Paris, but he warned the youngster to expect "no favours" with his four wildcard selections if he does not qualify automatically.
"Thorbjorn is in good form and he's played some good golf this year," Bjorn added. "He won in Italy, finished second in Germany, good showing at The Open, and then third last week. So he's on great form, and he's playing well.
"When you have somebody that is such a close friend, and I've spent so much time with him, I made it very clear to him from the beginning that he needed to do something very special to make this team and preferably make the team on merit.
"I can't be in a situation where I feel like I'm doing anybody a favour, because it's about bringing the 12 best players in Europe and who me and my vice-captains think are the 12 best guys that are going to do the best job for us.
"And for Thorbjorn, he needs to just go out and keep continuing that form and try and make the team. I'm sure that's what is on his mind as well, so let him go out and play golf and enjoy that he's in a good place at the moment."
