How bad is it for Sergio? Even Faldo outplayed him

The mystery known as Sergio Garcia continued at the BMW International Open in Munich, Germany, on Thursday, where the sad state of his game reached this depth: He was unable to score better than Nick Faldo, who is 52 and essentially retired from competitive golf.

Garcia, who has fallen from second in the World Ranking to 36th, shot 77 and stands second to last in the field at the European Tour event. Faldo shot 76. Faldo told Mark Garrod of the Press Association that Garcia "is just not with it. "I know there's a lot going on -- game, life, family. Everything is on a downward spiral right now."

Garcia hasn't won since the fall of 2008. He has had only a single top 10 in 2010, in the WGC-Match Play Championship. Otherwise, a tie for 22nd in the U.S. Open is his best performance this year and he is in danger of not making the European Ryder Cup team after having played on the last five.

"He isn't enjoying his golf at all at the moment," Garcia's manager Carlos Rodriguez said. "It is not fun for him. Sergio has even said that if Colin Montgomerie were willing to offer him a Ryder Cup wild card he's not sure whether he would be of any help to the European team."

-- John Strege