Sergio Garcia shows true colours at Open Qualifying after berating officials

Sergio Garcia, the Masters champion, took a moment to present a young spectator with a special gift during the first round of British Open Qualifying, as throngs of golf enthusiasts gathered at West Lancashire to witness him in action.

No longer securing automatic entry into the British Open, Garcia has witnessed his ranking plummet in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) following his switch to LIV Golf. Consequently, he's been compelled to participate in Final Qualifying, where four spots are contested over 36 holes at West Lancashire.

Battling challenging conditions, Garcia was one-over-par at the halfway mark, yet his performance was marred by a run-in with event officials regarding crowd management.

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Despite attracting a large audience in Wirral, Garcia expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of spectators, remarking that "It should be organized better," especially after learning his group had received a slow play warning.

Amidst gusty winds at West Lancashire, the ex-Masters champ showed signs of irritation, particularly on the par-four 15th, where his birdie attempt fell five feet short, leaving him with a tricky par putt.

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The Fireballs captain, having regained his composure, scored four but seemed dissatisfied with the previous attempt. However, this didn't prevent the often passionate Spaniard from showing his kind side, as he spotted a young fan on his way to the 16th and gave him his ball.

With renewed energy, Garcia flawlessly played the par-five 16th, reaching the green in two before two-putting for a much-needed birdie to return to level-par for the day. He then found himself in a tricky spot on the par-three 17th a hole later, with his tee shot ending up towards the back of a bunker on the left of the green.

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However, he followed up with an excellent wedge shot before cleaning up for his par. He even had time for one more birdie, after sinking a fantastic putt from around 10 feet at the 18th to ensure he finished his opening round at one-under-par with 18 holes remaining.

Another lucky fan was waiting as well, as Garcia gifted another ball souvenir to a young spectator as he exited the final green.

Garcia is vying for one of four spots available for the trip to Royal Troon later this month and isn't the only LIV Golf star competing on the Wirral. He's joined by Englishman Sam Horsfield, who's in a strong position at three-under-par and tied for the lead.

Meanwhile, Torque GC's Carlos Ortiz is at even-par halfway through, while Kieran Vincent sits at two-over.

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