Garcia beats Toms in playoff to win PGA season-opener
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Updated: 2002-01-07 10:07

Sergio Garcia sank a 10-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole on Sunday to defeat David Toms and claim the season-opening Mercedes Championships.

Garcia, who now has three wins on the PGA Tour, started the day four shots off the pace but fired a nine-under-par 64 to match Toms at 18-under 274.

The two opened the playoff at the 663-yard, par-five 18th, where Toms caught the rough with his second shot and left his third 30 feet right of the pin.

Garcia slipped a 50-yard chip 10 feet past the hole and, after Toms two-putted for par, converted the birdie opportunity for the win.

Toms shot a six-under 66 in calm but damp conditions at the Plantation Course and fell just shy of his fourth title since May.

World number one Tiger Woods, who shot consecutive rounds of one-over-par 74 on Friday and Saturday, shot an eight-under-par 65 round on Sunday to move him into a tie for tenth-place.

The event, which had a winner's purse of $720,000, only featured players who won a tournament on the tour last season.