* Eighth PGA Tour win, first since 2008 Players Championship
* Bumps Ian Poulter from the 10th automatic Ryder Cup spot
(Adds quotes, detail)
Aug 20 (Reuters) – Sergio Garcia snapped a four-year PGA
Tour title drought with victory at the rain-delayed Wyndham
Championship in North Carolina on Monday that secured the
Spaniard a spot on the European Ryder Cup team.
Garcia, who had a one-shot lead after four holes on Sunday
when play was halted at Sedgefield Country Club because of rain
and thunderstorms, shot a four-under 66 in the final round for
an 18-under total, two shots clear of South African Tim Clark.
The Spaniard, who needed a strong result to force his way
onto Europe’s team for the Sept. 28-30 Ryder Cup, guaranteed a
place on the squad by securing his eighth PGA Tour victory and
first since the 2008 Players Championship.
“I kind of did it last year, too, in Germany when I needed
to play really, really well to get into the British Open, which
is my favorite tournament, and almost won there and then got
myself into the British Open,” Garcia told reporters.
“Now this year, here, hopefully this will secure my spot in
the Ryder Cup team.”
Garcia, who has played five Ryder Cups and finished on the
winning team three times but missed Europe’s victory at Celtic
Manor in 2010, dislodged Ian Poulter from the 10th automatic
spot in the biennial team competition.
In Garcia’s last appearance at Greensboro, he held a share
of the third-round lead only to watch it slip away into a fourth
place finish.
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