Sergio Garcia, who before this year, was previously regarded as one of the best players to have never won a major, finally ended his drought.

The Spaniard made his 74th major start this year in the Augusta National back in April, and beat Englishman Justin Rose in a playoff to break his duck, and win his long-awaited first major.

And Garcia has revealed in an interview with CNN’s Living Golf, that the wise words of Ryder Cup teammate Henrik Stenson gave him the inspiration to grab the victory.

Garcia’s victory came just nine months after 40-year old Stenson’s breakthrough major win at The Open at Royal Troon. Garcia explained what encouraged him to the triumph: 

“[When Stenson won The Open] I told him how happy we were for him and everything,” Garcia said, as per Bunkered.

“One of the first things he said to me was, ‘I’m 40, you’re 36. You still have sixteen majors before you’re 40, so you have plenty of chances’. It definitely helped.

“Coming from someone that you respect, that is a friend of yours, that has been there, who’s been close many times and hasn’t been able to do it and then finally does it.” 

Garcia, who most recently played in the UBS Hong Kong Open two weeks ago, also revealed he will be relaxing for the rest of the year but described 2017 as his best year yet, both on and off the golf course.

“When it comes down to off the golf course and on the golf course, yes, it is the best year ever, without a doubt,” Garcia who, in July also got married to his wife Angela while the couple are expecting their first child in April, added.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to have a lot of great years, but the full combination of it I would say is definitely the best year ever.”

Here’s hoping Sergio Garcia will have plenty more great years to come.