I'll learn from Carnoustie, says Sergio Garcia
By Brian Keogh
Sergio Garcia believes he will learn from his crushing Open Championship play-off defeat to Padraig Harrington.
Set to star in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters this week, the Spaniard hopes he will be ready to take his next big chance in a Major.
Garcia said: "I was disappointed the week after The Open because I had such a great chance, but it's not going to be my last chance.
"I'm going to have plenty more chances and I'm sure I'm going to win more than one, so I'll just keep working at it.
"I learned a lot of things from that week. I learned how to deal with the pressure of leading a Major championship, an Open Championship, for four days.
"I enjoyed the way I felt and even more throughout the play-off. I felt calm. I felt good, even though Padraig put me behind the 8-ball a little early on.
"But the whole experience was a great one, and hopefully I can remember that when I get back in that position. I've just got to be stronger than I was.
Five Irishmen will tee it up in the second of the desert swing events with Ulsterman Graeme McDowell determined to bounce back from last week's missed cut in Abu Dhabi.
Like Paul McGinley, the Portrush man wants to build his haul of Ryder Cup points.
After working hard on his short game with coach Pete Cowen, McDowell said: "I'm now starting to do things around the greens that I've never done before and that is all due to Pete's work.
"I have no problem getting motivated and I know where I want to be so I am working hard to get back there.
"This is the first year I feel that I am off to a good start and I just have to get my head down and do it."
After finishing ninth in Abu Dhabi, McGinley hopes to hole more putts this week alongside Rory McIlroy, Gary Murphy, Damien McGrane and Peter Lawrie.
He said: "If I play as well as I played last week and putt better I will have a good week. I need to improve my putting. Anybody who wins or contends putts well and I have always done so in the past when I have played well."
South Africa's Retief Goosen withdrew from the event with blurred vision after failing to make a full recovery from laser surgery.