Sergio Garcia hopes he caught the eye of European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald after he claimed an impressive victory in LIV Hong Kong.
The Spaniard (45) fired a bogey-free seven-under 63 to win the individual title by three shots on 18-under from a charging Dean Burmester, who shot 62.
Garcia wants to add to his record haul of Ryder Cup points at Bethpage in September, and if he doesn’t win one of six automatic places, he will need to impress Donald to earn a wild card.
“I think he’s watching,” said the 2017 Masters champion, who also helped his Fireballs capture the team title for the second event running.
“We’ve been in touch, so I know that he’s keeping an eye. The only thing I can do is keep playing good golf, and I just want to help the European team like I’ve tried to do every single time I’ve been a member of that team.”
Garcia will have another chance to impress Donald at LIV Singapore and in LIV Miami in April before making his 100th Major appearance in the Masters Tournament.
Tom McKibbin shot 66 to finish in a four-way tie for sixth, seven shots behind Garcia, on 11-under and win $566,875 (£438,364), while Graeme McDowell tied for 12th on nine-under after a 68.
In the Joburg Open, it was a memorable final day for Calum Hill, who claimed his second DP World Tour win with a par on the second tie hole at Houghton GC.
The Scot began the final round eight strokes behind South Africa’s Shaun Norris but made 10 birdies in an eight-under 62 to set the target at 14-under.
South African Jacques Kruyswijk shot 66 to match him before Norris birdied the last to join them with a 70. After they parred the 18th in sudden death, only Hill could make par the second time around as Norris ran up a double-bogey and Kruyswijk a bogey.
Rory McIlroy’s challenge at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill never materialised as he could only go round in par 72 to finish on three-under and outside the top 10.