Impish Garcia aims to tame Tiger in Ryder

SAM TORRANCE has described the rivalry between Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods as having “enough wattage to light up a small town”.

Torrance has also described how Garcia spent his hours off the course at The Belfry two years ago "chasing Bernhard Langer's daughter".

Under Langer's captaincy in Detroit this week Garcia will be hoping to have some more fun, although maybe a different type of fun, and claim Woods' scalp just as he has done on two of the three times they have met so far in Ryder Cup competition.

While the team's youngest player is still in impish mood, at the same time, Langer and Garcia know there is a more senior role for him to play now.

He may be only 24, but just three of the European side Colin Montgomerie, Darren Clarke and Lee Westwood have more cup experiences. And what experiences they have been.

"The best two of my career so far, even though one of them also brought my biggest disappointment," said Garcia.

"I don't know what it's like winning a major but the Ryder Cup is the best thing that's happened to me so far."

The big disappointment was 1999 in Boston, of course. The first teenager to play in the match, it was all going so well for him when he and Jesper Parnevik opened with a win over Woods and Tom Lehman and then helped Europe into a four-point lead at the end of the second day.

But then came a four and three singles defeat to Jim Furyk and the dramatic and controversial American victory. Nobody took it harder than Garcia.

That only added to the delight at The Belfry two years ago when Torrance came up with the inspired choice of Lee Westwood as Garcia's new partner, with Parnevik off-form, and Europe got the cup back.

Not that it was happiness all the way. Having beaten Woods again on day one they clashed once more in the second afternoon fourballs, but lost from one up with two to play.

Twenty-four hours later Garcia was jumping with joy and then running down the same hole after Paul McGinley had holed the putt which won the trophy.

Some of the Americans thought he went over the top with games still in progress but he believes the big difference from Brookline was that the overall match had been decided and he saw no reason to apologise.

"I didn't pay much attention to what was said," he said.

"As soon as it's over it's over."

He hopes to be celebrating again come this Sunday. "Right from the start the Ryder Cup has been even better than I expected it to be," he said.

"There's a lot of pressure and so much expectation on you but you've still got to go out and try to enjoy the moment.

"Things got a bit out of hand at Brookline but the crowd at the Belfry were respectful and it was good to see. Of course most of the crowd are going to cheer for the home team but as long as they're respectful that's fine.

"In Boston it was a case of Jesper taking care of me. At the Belfry I felt Lee and I were equal partners. It will be interesting to see who I'm paired with this time and the role I have to play.

"I'll probably have a little more responsibility, but I'm not going to do anything differently as soon as the match starts everybody tries their hardest to help the team. Both sides I've been on have built up a great spirit and that's key."