It’s always a bad sign when a young and gifted golfer heads to the long putter and the belly putter, which Garcia has done, or can’t quite settle into a confident, pre-shot routine (remember when you couldn’t stand to watch the 37 hand waggles?). Some golfers exude confidence. Watching Garcia stand over 3-foot putts, especially on Sundays, does not, and when he three-putted for bogey at the second hole, then at the third, in the final round at Hoylake, you knew you could stick a fork in him. He was done.

Is he done as a major threat? Goodness, no. Not at 26. Let’s not forget that Mickelson didn’t win a major till he was 33.

There are, however, serious flaws, and Garcia has to be honest with himself and not spin the sort of nonsense that he tried to sell last month at the British Open. On Sundays at three marquee events this year — the Buick Invitational, The Players Championship and the British Open — Garcia looked like the 19-year-old who broke down and cried at Carnoustie in 1999, not the polished veteran that he should be. He shot closing rounds of 75 at Torrey Pines, 78 at TPC Sawgrass, and a 73 at Liverpool that felt like 173, and if he’s not burned up about those squanders, then it’s proof positive that he doesn’t have the heart to be a major champion.

If Garcia is burned up about that, then that’s a start. The next thing he has to do is spend more time on the short game and less time being a big hit with the nightlife set. Find the practice green, young man, and ignore the dance floor. He has to stop using his youth as an excuse and concede that he probably should have won at least one of these majors already. Garcia needs to grow up and stop the sulking every time a shot doesn’t go his way. He needs to be less precocious and more workmanlike, less occupied by how he colorful he looks (burn the yellow clothes, right now) and more determined to let his scores speak for themselves.

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Garcia has missed the cut in seven major championships out of his 30 starts as a professional, and that is inexcusable for a player of his skill level.

Woods paid Garcia due respect following last month’s British Open, saying that the young Spaniard was sure to win a major at some point.

Begrudgingly, I would agree. But with every half-hearted effort, I’m less and less convinced.

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