A brilliant morning 68 at West Lancashire put Sergio Garcia on the fast track to The 154th Open, but a 3 over 75 after lunch turned a promising qualifying bid into another painful miss. Garcia had positioned himself to chase 1 of the 5 available places for Royal Birkdale before illness took hold in the afternoon. The problem, he said, began after he ate chicken lasagna in the players’ lounge. His stomach turned during the second round, and the former Masters champion spent the rest of the day fighting both the course and his body. He finished at 1 under for 36 holes, well outside the playoff line. The result carries extra weight because Garcia will now miss golf’s oldest major for the third time in 4 years.
Morning Control Disappears After Lunch
Garcia’s first round gave him exactly what a player needs in Final Qualifying: control. A 68 placed him in the right part of the leaderboard and gave him a clear target for the afternoon. That control did not last. The wind picked up, scoring pressure mounted, and Garcia’s stomach turned against him. The effects hit early in the second 18, and his front nine damage changed the entire shape of the day.
He went out in 40 during the afternoon round. Garcia even debated withdrawing at the turn, which showed how badly the illness had affected him. He kept going and tried to salvage the round, but he never fully recovered the rhythm he had built in the morning.
Garcia said, “I felt like I was going to vomit pretty much on every hole.”
That line explains the round without excusing it. Final Qualifying does not pause for illness, reputation or frustration. Garcia needed a steady second 18. Instead, his body failed him at the worst possible time.
Final Qualifying Punishes Every Mistake
The Open Final Qualifying route is one of golf’s most unforgiving tests. Players have no season long points list to fall back on, only the raw score on their card. Across 36 holes, 1 poor stretch can wipe out a full day’s work. Garcia lived that reality in the harshest way.
At West Lancashire, Sam Bairstow, Kazuma Kobori, Josele Ballester, Tiger Christensen and Matthew Jordan took the 5 available places. Jordan claimed the final spot through a 3 player playoff, which underlined how tight the margins were.
Wesley Bryan was part of that same pressure point. He stood right on the number at his final hole, but missed a 7 footer for par and finished 1 shot shy of the playoff. That was the difference between a trip to Royal Birkdale and another near miss.
Garcia’s 2017 Masters title, his Ryder Cup history and his Open Championship record could not protect him. In Final Qualifying, past green jackets do not buy any strokes. Every player starts at 0, and Garcia’s bad stretch on the second round front nine proved too costly.
A Smaller Major Pathway Raises The Stakes
This stumble stings because Garcia’s major championship window is shrinking. He remains tied to the biggest stages through his past achievements, but his route into several majors has become far less secure. Since joining LIV Golf, his ranking path has grown more complicated, making qualifiers like this one more important.
For a player who once appeared at The Open every year, the current process leaves little room for error. Garcia had played 24 successive Opens before his recent qualifying misses. Now he will miss the championship for the third time in 4 years.
The Route Back Keeps Narrowing
That is the cold reality behind this result. Garcia still has enough game to make these days matter. His opening 68 proved that. But the margin around him has changed. He no longer has the same safety nets, and Final Qualifying demands near perfect execution across 36 holes.
Without the front nine collapse, he likely stays in the mix. If his body holds up, the afternoon could have looked different. Those possibilities will frustrate him, but they do not change the outcome.
Garcia leaves West Lancashire outside The Open field and with another missed major on his record. For a veteran still fighting to stay connected to golf’s oldest championship, the lesson was blunt. The game is still there in flashes, but the route back to The Open is getting narrower every year.
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FAQs
Why did Sergio Garcia miss Open qualifying?
Garcia missed after shooting 75 in the afternoon round. He said illness after lunch hurt him during the second 18 holes.
What did Sergio Garcia eat before getting sick?
Garcia said chicken lasagna from the players’ lounge did not sit well with him before his afternoon round.
Where did Sergio Garcia play Open Final Qualifying?
Garcia played at West Lancashire, one of the Final Qualifying venues for The 154th Open.
How close was Sergio Garcia to qualifying for The Open?
He started well with a 68, but his afternoon 75 left him at 1 under and outside the playoff line.
Why does this miss matter for Sergio Garcia?
Garcia will miss The Open for the third time in 4 years, making his major pathway look even narrower.
