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PGA TOUR: Garcia's age belies his knack for Ryder Cup greatness

/noticias.info/ By Dave Shedloski
PGATOUR.com Senior Correspondent

STRAFFAN, Ireland -- "Seve?"

Sergio Garcia scrunched up his boyish face and mouthed that single word in the form of a question when an American journalist on Wednesday mistakenly referred to him as Seve, as in Ballesteros, as in one of the most accomplished and fervent players in the history of the Ryder Cup.

Garcia has yet to match his fellow Spaniard's tremendous individual success, which included five major championships, but grant that he is only 26, the youngest player by far in the 36th Ryder Cup matches. However, El Niño compares favorably to his older compatriot in his appreciation for the biennial competition and his ability to rise to the occasion with spirit and shot making.

No coincidence that his inspiration and guidance have come, primarily, from Ballesteros. He didn't watch many Ryder Cup competitions on television while growing up in Borriol, Spain. But he has picked Seve's brain.

"I did have some conversations with him about it," said Garcia, preparing for his fourth Ryder Cup appearance. "I remember '99 when I was going to play my first, and he told me all about it. He told me how amazing it is and it was a totally different feeling. So, that was great for me to get to know a little bit of the Ryder Cup by a man that has played so many and done so well on it."

Ballesteros scored 22 ½ points in eight Ryder Cups with a 20-12-5 record, and he captained the 1997 team to victory as well.

Garcia, who has six wins on the PGA TOUR and six more on the European Tour, has continually shown child-like exuberance and steely determination since his debut at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. Already he has accumulated 11 points for Europe, his 10-3-2 mark that includes a spotless 4-0-1 record in 2004.

Only nine Americans have won more than Garcia -- and none of them are on the current U.S. side, including Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. He is already 12th all-time on the European ledger.

No wonder he says that Ryder Cup success is more satisfying than his individual triumphs.

"If you add everything together and kind of mix it up, it makes for an unbelievable week," said Garcia, who is winless in 2006 but remains among the top-10 ranked players in the world. "I've been fortunate enough to win two of them, and just the experiences I've had has been great, how close you get to your playing partners, how much you share in that week.

"It's been an unbelievable experience; I wouldn't give it back," he added. "I'd probably say it's my favorite event. I'm really happy to be here."

Though Garcia is already a veteran at such a young age and he is Europe's best player, according to the world rankings, he does not yet feel the need, or the urge, to step up and be a vocal leader. Cheerleader, yes, and motivational by action. But he minds his elders.

"I'd probably say if there is a leader in the team, probably Monty (Colin Montgomerie), but we're all pretty much the same," he said. "We just try to make everybody feel comfortable on the team."

He is also comfortable seeing his European squad viewed as the favorite, though he is mindful of how dangerous the U.S. squad can be, what with the top three players in the world -- Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk -- and something to prove after the rout Europe dealt to the Yanks in 2004.

But he acknowledges that the Europeans are deep, and he enjoys their close-knit relationship with one another, which has been a true strength through the last two decades. Like Montgomerie, Garcia revels in the team aspect of the event and is happy to put his patriotism ahead of his personal record.

"I said it before and I'll say it again, I would rather go fives losses and zero wins if that means we're going to beat the American team," he said. "I would rather go that way than have five wins and we lose the Ryder Cup. At the end of the day, it's about that. Of course, I'm going to try to win as many points as I can for my team. But if I have to choose between those two, I know which one I'll choose."

Chances are, if he continues to play as well as he has in the past, he won't have to choose. notas_de_prensa_archivo