Goydos applauds triumphant Garcia after playoff loss

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (Reuters) - American journeyman Paul Goydos paid tribute to Sergio Garcia after being edged out by the Spaniard in a playoff for the Players Championship on Sunday.

"Sergio played like a champion," Goydos, 43, told reporters after being pipped at the first extra hole in strong gusting winds at Sawgrass.

"He played great golf today, one under par. Sergio is a potential top two or three player in the world. He's still a kid.

"He's got a long way to go in his career and he's going to win a lot of tournaments and he's going to win major championships."

The 28-year-old Garcia, ranked 18th in the world at the start of the week, closed with a four-birdie 71 on a day when the average score was 75.16 on the par-72 Stadium Course.

Although Goydos missed a nine-foot par putt on the final hole of regulation that would have earned him his third PGA Tour title, he proudly reflected on his form.

"It's been an exciting time and I played good," the world number 169 said. "I also learned something maybe, and I stress the word maybe, about myself and how I handle situations. You've got to move on from that.

FIRST TIME

"I got to do a lot of things and this is why we play, to have a chance today," he added, after holding a 54-hole lead for the first time in his PGA Tour career.

"I'm reasonably pleased with how I played again, two over par after three and I played the last 15 holes on a very tough day in even par. I got beat; that's golf."

Twice in the final round, Goydos forged three strokes clear before being caught by former world number four Garcia who covered the last nine holes in two under.

Although Goydos never relinquished the outright lead in regulation play before surrendering the title after his tee shot ended up in water at the first extra hole, he relished his spell in the limelight.

"In a sense, from a crowd standpoint, I got to be Tiger Woods for a day," the former substitute teacher said. "People were emotionally involved in what I was doing and people were unbelievably encouraging. You did feel like the favourite.

"Golf fans root for the favorite, that's what they do, and today they rooted for me," added Goydos, who won his first PGA Tour title in more than a decade at last year's Sony Open.

"I don't have the right words other than thank you."

(Editing by Ed Osmond)