Sergio Garcia
© AFP/Getty Images Stuart Franklin

CHICAGO, United States (AFP) - Garcia has 11 top ten finishes in 29 majors but has been unable to close the deal.

The 26-year-old Spaniard has replaced three-time major winner Phil Mickelson as the player that everyone asks, "Why haven't you won a major."

"It is nice I was able to pass that mantle over to somebody. I am sorry he had to take it over," Mickelson said.

Garcia is hoping a return to Medinah will help him overcome his final-round struggles, especially with his putter.

"I have played well enough to win but I haven't," Garcia said. "Last year, I felt like I played extremely well in the US Open.

"I felt like I played well enough to win a couple of British Opens.

"But you can't live in the past, you've just got to look at the present and hopefully get better."

Sergio Garcia
© AFP/File Jeff Haynes

He was just 19 when Tiger Woods beat back a late charge by Garcia to capture his second major and first PGA Championship. Since then Woods has won nine more majors.

"It is not easy to go out there and win a major when you're young and even when you are in your 20s," Garcia said. "Tiger has been able to do that plenty of times and you expect everybody else to do the same, but it is not easy.

"The only thing I can do is at least give myself a chance and keep working hard. The more chances I give myself the more possibilities I have of winning."

In 1999, Garcia trailed Woods by two strokes with three holes to play when he hit a superb approach shot around a tree on the 16th hole that rolled onto the green to keep him in contention.

As impressive as the shot was, it wasn't enough to allow him to overcome Woods who won by a stroke.

Garcia said Wednesday that if it wasn't for his struggles with putting he probably would have won at least three majors by now.

Sergio Garcia
© AFP/File Jeff Haynes

"There is no doubt (putting) has held me back a little bit, but I would not say it's always been the putter.

"There are probably three or four majors where I felt my game was definitely good enough and unfortunately my putter let me down a bit.

"The only thing I can do about it is keep getting good thoughts and get more confident on the greens when the time comes."

Despite a lack of major wins, Garcia still thinks his resume is pretty impressive. He has won more than 15 million dollars on the PGA Tour since turning pro in 1999.

"I don't think many guys under 30 have a much better career than I do," he said.

"I am 26 and I have been playing professionally for eight years. I have been in the top 10 in the world probably five years at least. So it has been a good career.

"Of course, personally I think I could have done better. That's why I keep working hard, but I'm not disappointed about it at all."

©AFP