Wednesday 1 April 2015 19:00, UK
Sergio Garcia is focused on winning the Houston Open and has put all thoughts of the Masters to one side.
A win at Houston would be the Spaniard's first PGA Tour title since 2012 and, with this in mind, he is ignoring the fact the Golf Club of Houston is set up to try to replicate some of the conditions the players will face at Augusta National.
The 35-year-old, who missed the cut at the Masters last year, admitted it was a struggle at times to forget about the first major of the year and concentrate on the course at hand.
I felt really comfortable here when I came last year. I wanted to try it again this year and hopefully I'll do better next week, too.
"I think that there's no doubt that obviously the Masters is in the back of our minds, but I'm here to play well, to get in some good rhythm, to have a chance at winning this week and then as soon as Sunday finishes then I'll concentrate on the Masters,” Garcia said.
"I'm not going to be on the golf course this week thinking maybe let's try this shot because I'll have it next week on the 12th or on the 15th or something like that. No. I'm going to be focused on what I want to achieve here and then when Sunday finishes then I can concentrate on next week.
"I felt really comfortable here when I came last year. I wanted to try it again this year and hopefully I'll do better next week, too."
Garcia is also comfortable with the fact he may never win a major after coming close yet again in the Open last year, finishing second behind Rory McIlroy at Hoylake.
"If it comes down to me not winning any majors when I'm done with my golfing career, I'm not going to be sad," he said.
"It's not the main thing. Obviously it's something nice to have, and if I get it I'm not going to give it back, but it's not the main thing in my life.
"I think as you get older, as you get more and more experience, you realise the important things in life.
“I'm not saying that winning a major is not important, but it's not the most important thing in the world. I think there's a lot of other things that you can do that can not only fulfil you as a player, but also as a person."
Garcia and Texas native Jordan Spieth are the only players in the world's top 10 left in the field after the withdrawals of Henrik Stenson and Jimmy Walker.
The winner in Houston earns a qualification place in the Masters.
