Golf News for Monday, August 25, 2008 | Daily Golf Blogs

Chris Baldwin: On Sergio Garcia's hilarious showboating gaffe at the Barclays

PARAMUS, N.J. - When Sergio Garcia slammed his putter down in the sand trap at the 18th green like Kobe Bryant pulling out his jersey and pointing it at the crowd, you didn't know it was going to end badly for him. After all, how can you expect Vijay Singh - whose putting has dogged him throughout his career - to drop in a 26-foot birdie putt on the top of Garcia's 27-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole at The Barclays?

But even before Singh struck back, you knew Garcia had gone over the top.

Pointing up to European Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo in the TV tower overlooking the 18th green was one thing. Doing that furious fist pump routine was another. The blown kiss was still another. But the putter celebration slam, an I've shown-you-this-is-done move if there ever was one, pushed it to another level in showboating.

You know Singh and his caddie couldn't have been thrilled about it. Just like you knew Sergio had no chance to regroup - not after he'd done everything but broke into a jig moments earlier - when Singh struck back. Sergio Garcia partied like the tournament was over, even as Singh still held the chance to send it to a second playoff hole.

Which he did - and then quickly finished it with no drama from Sergio besides his free mole burrowing drop.

Well, at least you cannot say this second edition of the FedEx Cup lacks excitement. The finish at Ridgewood Country Club is one of the best you'll ever see in a non major in any year or era. It had it all, including Sergio going Sergio.

He's the most fascinating figure in golf - Tiger Woods included. And he always finds a way to do himself in. This time, it came with a premature party.

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