Garcia wins Castello Masters by 11 shots, ends three-year victory drought

Sergio Garcia won his first title in almost three years on Sunday, dominating for the third straight day at the Castello Masters to earn an 11-stroke victory that matched the third-largest margin of victory in European Tour history.

The 31-year old Garcia, who won the inaugural Castello Masters in 2008 – the event is played at Club de Campo del Mediterraneo, the course where he grew up and was club champion at age 12 -- shot an 8-under 63 in the final round to finish at 27-under 257 and break an almost three-year title drought.

Garcia had shot his best ever back-to-back rounds of 63 and 64 to lead the field since Friday, and he did not let up on the final day, hitting nine birdies while bogeying for just the fourth time in the event.

“That was for Seve,” Garcia said, in reference to golfing great Seve Ballesteros, who died of brain cancer in May. This was Garcia’s first tournament appearance in Spain since Ballesteros’ death.

Although the performance will not enter the official record books because the lift, clean and place rule was in effect all week, it has been beaten only once on the European Tour. Ernie Els was 29 under in winning the 2003 Johnnie Walker Classic.

It was also the biggest win of the Tour season by three and there have only been two wider margins ever on the circuit -- Tiger Woods took the 2000 U.S. Open by 15 and Els the 2005 Asian Open by 13.

As for his own career, none of his previous 18 wins as a professional had been by more than four strokes.

Happiness off the course with a new girlfriend has helped to lift Garcia out of the slump he went into when Greg Norman's daughter Morgan-Leigh ended their relationship two years ago. He dropped from second in the world to outside the top 75, but is now inside the top 35 again.

Tired after a long stint in America, Garcia took four weeks off before the tournament.

"They were mother's milk for me -- obviously they worked," he said of the weeks away. "It's hard to say that you expect to fire like I did, but I was feeling good and I've been improving all year."

So he has. He had top-12 finishes in the last three majors and lost a five-hole playoff to compatriot Pablo Larrazabal at the BMW International Open in Munich in June.

It was another Spaniard who came in runner-up to him this time. Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, out of action for much of the season with back trouble, had a 64 to take second place on 16 under, one in front of Scot Richie Ramsay (65) and Swede Alex Noren (64).

They all knew teeing off, however, they were probably playing for second place.

Even though Fernandez-Castano went to the turn in a best-of-the-week 29 with an eagle and five birdies, Garcia had resumed eight in front. And, with birdies of his own at the fourth, fifth, eighth and ninth, he was cruising.

The former Ryder Cup star, who has to be fancied for a return to the European tea for 2012 after this, started for home with two more, then picked up further shots at the 14th and 15th. His one error came when he failed to get up and down from sand on the 17th, but his approach to the 424-yard last almost went in for eagle.

"I would like to thank not only my family and friends, but also my sponsors, everyone that's around me, for supporting me through two tough years," he said. "They have stuck with me and believed in me and I'm happy to be able to pay them back with this victory.

"At the beginning of the week there's always a little extra pressure because you want to do well in front of your home fans and on your home course," he added. "But I felt really good and it showed. Hopefully I can keep moving forward, but there are still some things I can improve on."