LIV Golf star and Masters champion Sergio Garcia suffered an uncomfortable moment during the first round of the Irish Open, missing a one-foot putt on a windy green.
Competing on the DP World Tour during the first round at Trump International Golf Links Ireland in Doonbeg, Garcia teed off in a field that includes World No. 2 Rory McIlroy, ex-LIV Golf star Brooks Koepka and more of the world's best.
Garcia, using the broomstick putter he debuted at LIV Golf New York, missed a short putt on Donald Trump's Ireland course.
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Garcia put a L.A.B. Golf DF3 XL Broomstick in play during the first round at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, and the 2017 Masters champion had never previously used a broomstick putter in competition despite regularly tinkering with various different putter models throughout the course of his career.
"I was like, aww, you know what, I've been kind of messing around with it a little bit and it's felt good, but I haven't really put it even in play on practice rounds or anything like that, and I thought, I'll put it in play here, play with my buddies and see how it feels, see if it feels as good as it feels on the putting green, and obviously it did," said Garcia at LIV Golf New York, where the Akshay Bhatia mirror made its debut in a competitive round.
"I thought, let's put it in play this week and see what happens. Hopefully it keeps feeling the same way."
The club and the on-course conditions at Trump's course in Ireland did him no favors, as the putt just slipped off to the left of the cup.
"I didn't know exactly what to expect because when you start competing, it's always different. But it's been great. I've hit a lot of good putts," added Garcia in New York.
"I've obviously made my fair share. I've also hit the ball quite close to the hole."
Despite the setback at the Irish Open, the 46-year-old veteran said he's enjoyed using the putter since LIV Golf New York at Trump's Bedminster golf course.
"But it's felt really, really good, and probably felt the most consistent and comfortable that I've felt in a while on the greens," said Garcia.
"That doesn't mean that I'm going to make a lot of putts every single round, but for me at least, if I'm feeling like I'm giving it the best possibility to go in, like I'm rolling it -- I'm starting it on the line I want to start it and I'm rolling it well, then it becomes a matter of reading the line and matching the speed."
— via AOL.com