Garcia leads Omega Masters

Of all the things Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam does not want to see or hear next year, one is certainly Sergio Garcia coming up to him and saying: “Don’t pick me.”

But Europe’s top player in the world today painted a picture of him doing precisely that.

Amazingly, Garcia made his comments after storming into a three-shot halfway lead over Welshman Garry Houston at the first qualifying event, the Omega European Masters in Switzerland.

Playing partner Woosnam was suitably impressed by the Spaniard’s rounds of 66 and 65 for an 11 under par total, but Garcia stated: “It doesn’t mean anything.

“You have to play well all year long and you have to get to the Ryder Cup playing wel.

“If I don’t qualify and don’t feel I am playing well I will tell Woosie if he is thinking about picking me that I think he could get somebody else better than me.

“I don’t see it going that way and with the changes I’ve made I feel my swing is just getting better and better, but it’s an option.

“I am really confident I will make the team and I’ve just got to believe in myself. If I do that Woosie is not even going to have to pick me.”

The one worrying part of Garcia’s game at the moment is his putting. He is ranked 205th out of 206 on the US Tour this season, but the fact that he is ninth on the money list illustrates how well everything else is working.

Not only was Woosnam delighted to see an improvement on the greens, but some other words from the world number six will please him too.

Garcia plays more in America than Europe these days, but commented that he would change his plans if he needed to.

“I sure would. No matter who you are and what you have done you might not get picked and, secondly, I would rather he uses one of the spots for someone else rather than me.

“It would make me happier and probably him too.”

Driving the green on the 341-yard fifth and holing the seven-foot eagle putt was the highlight of his round today.

But Woosnam, whom he now calls “Cappy”, stated: “He’s just a great player.

“He gives himself so many opportunities and that’s fantastic for match play. He’s long, he hits his irons well and he chips well. I’ve been watching his putting on television and he looked to be struggling a bit, but his stroke looked a lot better here.”

A year ago Garcia opened the same tournament in the exact same fashion. He was only one ahead then, though, and finished joint third, six strokes behind cup partner Luke Donald.

“The course is playing tougher and I’ve just managed to play a bit better. I felt so good out there.”

Houston, at 433rd in the world 427 places below Garcia, has never finished higher than fourth in a tour event, but he did best of the three first day leaders, adding a 69 to his 65.

Two more rounds like that and the 34-year-old, 126th on the Order of Merit, should have secured his card for next season.

Lying third and delighted just to be playing following a second knee operation less than a year ago is Jean Van de Velde, who like Garcia made his Ryder Cup debut in Boston in 1999.

Van de Velde, still best remembered for blowing the Open that year, is 39th on the money list after finishing second in the French Open – he went in the water both at the 72nd hole and in a play-off there – but did not know he was playing this week until Monday afternoon.

Defending champion Donald had two bogey sixes on his card and will start the third round seven adrift of Garcia.