Sergio Garcia's last appearance at Royal Liverpool saw him disappearing into the sunset in a not-so-flattering canary yellow outfit which drew almost as much criticism as his collapse on the final day of the 2006 Open Championship.

The Spaniard returns to Hoylake eight years older and wiser, but still without a major title to his name.

At 34, time is hardly running out for the Ryder Cup firebrand, but there is a growing sense that the new breed of young guns — the likes of 20-year-old American Jordan Spieth, who is impressing on the PGA Tour and finished joint second at April's Masters — are making the circuit more competitive than ever.

Garcia is a complex character: inspirational on the course, particularly in those biennial clashes against the United States, but dogged by periods of self-doubt off it.

It takes a certain brand of confidence to rock up to the last round of a major paired in the final group with world number one Tiger Woods bedecked head to toe in bright yellow.

However, after a blistering 63 the previous day, the frailties of the Spaniard’s psyche were exposed immediately as three-putt bogeys on the second and third holes saw any chance of overhauling Woods’ one-stroke advantage disappear.

Garcia rallied on the back nine to end as top European in a share of fifth place but it was a demoralising finish — one which did not go unnoticed by Woods, who reportedly texted a friend: “I’ve just bludgeoned Tweety-pie.”

The deflated Spaniard offered some defence in trying to salvage a positive from that Hoylake meltdown, insisting: “It was probably the best I’ve felt in a major with the putter, stroke-wise.”

But the mental demons have continued to haunt him. A play-off defeat to Padraig Harrington at Carnoustie the following year — still his best finish in 63 majors - led him, in 2012, to declare he did not have the game to win a major.

“In 13 years, I have come to the conclusion that I need to play for second or third place (in majors),” he said after another disappointment at the 2012 Masters.

Those words were used as a stick to beat him with until, 12 months later, he redressed the issue. “Yes, I do regret saying it ... but not 100 per cent, I would say,” he said.

“I said exactly what I felt at that moment, and, obviously, it wasn’t my best moment. I was frustrated.

“There are some things you say what you feel at that moment and then when you calm down and you think that maybe I shouldn’t have said that. And I was over the top.”

Giving a more considered view, Garcia added: “I think that when I’m on, I can definitely win anywhere. I think I’ve proven that.

“It’s just a matter of getting that week where you feel good, where you feel comfortable, where things go your way, where everything feels relaxed, everything feels at ease, and you manage to do things the way you know how to do them.

“I’m still waiting for that particular week. I’ve had, I would say, probably four really good chances, and I’m hoping that I can get many more until I quit playing.

“I’ve always said that the bad days and things like that or the bad losses, if you take them the right way, they are very good, because you can learn a lot from those days.”