Super Spaniard Sergio Garcia labelled this week’s host Blue Monster course as tough as Spain’s famed Valderrama as he continues to lead by example heading to the final round of LIV Golf Miami.

Garcai, 44, birdied in his final hole in a four-under-par 68 to move two shots clear of his rivals at nine-under on the famed Blue Monster course.

Wearing the brightest of bright yellow shirts, and this a day after his dazzling red shorts, Garcia was five-under through nine holes ahead of an inward half two birdies and also two birdies though if there was a pick of his birdies it must his birdie gem at the last that handed him an important two-shot advantage.

The winner of 36 pro career tournaments including the 2017 Masters, is yet to taste success among the ranks of LIV Golf however with a round to play he is the player to beat on the host Trump National course in suburban Miami.

“It’s definitely not easy out there, that’s for sure”, said Garcia.

“I think this one and Valderrama for me will be two of the toughest courses we play all year on LIV. Nice to put a couple solid rounds to start with, and we’ve still got to finish it up tomorrow. One more solid day and we’ll see what happens.

“It’s not going to be easy. Everyone is really good out here. A lot of amazing players. It’s never easy to put yourself in first position. I’m very proud of being able to do that for the last two days, and I’ve just got to finish in the same spot tomorrow”.

What Garcia would like to happen is a first LIV victory and especially after losing out in a play-off earlier this year to red-hot Chilean Joaquin Niemann.

Solid finish for @TheSergioGarcia

He closes out with a birdie on the final hole ‍#LIVGolf @fireballsgc_ pic.twitter.com/oMT2LPBaRb

— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) April 6, 2024

As well, a Garcia victory could not be a better result for him to take to next week’s Masters and where he revealed he played a practice round Tuesday.

“I played at Augusta National last Tuesday. It was great. The course looked probably the best I’ve ever seen it”, said Garcia.

“They told us that the winter was quite mild, so there was a lot of grass. It looked really, really beautiful. It was actually quite firm, so it was nice to see.

“The azaleas were starting to bloom, so it’s going to be very, very pretty. The weather at the moment looks like it should be pretty good. It would be nice to have a dry Masters for a change and see how it plays out”.

However, Garcia remains focussed on the Blue Monsters and he’ll not have it all his own way over Sunday’s final round with four players – Talor Gooch, Dean Burmester, Matthew Wolff and LIV rookie Tyrrell Hatton – tied in second place on seven-under.

While there are six others, including fellow Masters champion Patrick Reed along with past Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen plus Kieran Vincent, Richard ‘Blandy’ Bland and second LIV rookie Adrian Meronk tied in sixth place on six-under but just three off the lead.

Indeed if you include reigning Masters champ Jon Rahm and Aussie Marc Leishman tied in 11th place at five-under there is a dozen players within four strokes of the lead.

Lone Irishman Graeme McDowell continued to struggle, adding a one-over 73 to his opening 74 to be lying 38th at three-over.

The Legion X111 team of Jon Rahm, Kieran Vincent and Tyrrell Hatton continue to lead the team format of the event at 21-under-par and three clear of their rivals.

Meantime …

Aussie Cameron Smith withdrew because of food poisoning, which LIV indicated he had been battling  earlier in the week.

It was pretty much the reason Smith struggled with a 75 in the opening round. He was replaced by Kiwi Ben Campbell for the second round and his score of a one-under 71 to count Sunday when all four scores go toward the team total.