Something didn't appear normal with Sergio Garcia (Stats | Bio) after he fired Sunday's low round.

A tempest churned within the 24-year-old Spaniard known as "El Nino" as he spoke with the press after the final round of the Masters Tournament.

Garcia, who is battling to regain his world-class form after undergoing a swing change last year, was unhappy with what he perceived as unfair treatment by the media.

"You know, it's been going on for a while," he said. "It's OK.

"You guys - that's the way you guys are. When we're playing well, we're the best, and even if we're playing well and things are not going our way, you know, we can be shocking. So it's nice to see how fair you guys are, and I just hope that you guys don't come out now saying, oh, you know, he's back, and this is the Sergio we know and all that."

This is the Sergio we don't know. A grown-up. An adult.

This is not the young golfer who won over fans with his easy smile and aggressive play in the 1999 PGA Championship when he finished second to Tiger Woods (Stats | Bio) . Instead, Garcia wore a slight frown - possibly a scowl - as the sun hid behind the hazy sky at Augusta National Golf Club.

Garcia came to Augusta seeking his first win since the Mercedes Championship in January 2002 - a 46-tournament losing streak on the PGA Tour.

In 2003, he missed eight of 20 cuts on the Tour, and in six tournaments this year he finished no better than a tie for ninth before the Masters.

After rounds of 72-72-75-66, Garcia finished at 3-under 285 in a tie for fourth, his best showing in six Masters appearances.

"I just feel like I played well enough to win," he said.

"Unfortunately, I'm not going to."

Garcia entered the final round nine shots off the pace set by Masters champion Phil Mickelson (Stats | Bio) and Chris DiMarco (Stats | Bio) . Garcia was even-par through five holes and hit what he believed was the perfect shot at the par-3 sixth hole.

"I thought I was making a one," he said. "I hit this cut 7-iron that's going ... I can't even see the pin, it's going straight at it. And it bounces just on top of the hill and I don't know why, I mean, that part of the green was a little bit softer. And instead of bouncing forward, stops and comes back, and I end up making a double bogey."

At the time, he trailed by 11. Finished. Done.

Or so it seemed.

Garcia kept plugging away, though, ending the front nine with three consecutive birdies.

At 1-over through 14 holes, Garcia stiffed a 7-iron to a foot for eagle on the par-5 15th. For the first time since the second round, Garcia was in red numbers. But he didn't stop there.

Garcia drained birdie putts of 17 feet on the par-3 16th and 5 feet on No. 17. He charged to 3-under and, as Mickelson and DiMarco were coming back to the field with their poor play on the front nine, Garcia appeared steady.

At the par-4 18th, Garcia ripped a 3-wood down the middle and knocked an 8-iron onto the green - he hoped his ball would spin back toward the hole, but it released to the back of the green, leaving a downhill 45-foot birdie attempt with 10 feet of break. After surveying the shot, Garcia rolled the ball to the cup. It headed to the heart of the hole.

Short. Two inches short.

After a back-nine 31, Garcia ran out of holes. But maybe he found the game he has been seeking for so long.

"I don't think it was a bad effort," he said.

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 823-3645 or chris.gay@augustachronicle.com.