Sergio Garcia will win the 2007 Masters

The first major of the year is upon us, and when it’s all over, we’ll find the Masters isn’t worth a spit.

Because come Sunday, El Niño will have a green jacket placed on him by Phil Mickelson. Sergio Garcia will win the 2007 Masters.

I understand your doubts. After all, this is Sergio Garcia we’re talking about, the infante terrible of golf. But that tends to obscure the fact that he’s also one of the most terribly gifted golfers active today. At just 27, Garcia is approaching the time when his physical gifts will meld with a more solid mental game. And don’t for an instant overlook Garcia’s Ryder Cup experiences (he was 4-1 in 2006), which should be enough to give all the Europeans involved an edge against their American brethren.

Of course, you wonder why you should trust me? Well, I admit after picking Steve Flesch to win the PGA Championship, my stock as a prognosticator dropped like a bucket of John Dalys. But that pick was based on statistical analysis and stone-cold reasoning. And I have bounced back spectacularly since by predicting the Indianapolis Colts’ Super Bowl victory.

Plus, take a look at what Sergio has done thus far in 2007. In five tournaments he’s had three top-5 finishes and sits comfortably at No. 22 on the money list. His game is as solid as anyone’s heading to Georgia.

Overanalyze “spitgate” all you like, but overall it’s meaningless. There won’t be a golfer raising his club in anger at Augusta that doesn’t have some type of childish moment on the course in his past.

Finally the phrase, the first European to win a major since Paul Lawrie will have an answer. It will be Sergio.

–WKW