US braces for another blast of `El Nino'

There is no mistaking the kid.

Sergio Garcia arrived for his professional debut in America toting a bag with the words "El Nino" stitched in gold, a stack of books to keep up with his homework and a smile for every Texas beauty who cooed his name.

"I can't believe all the pretty girls," the 19-year-old Spaniard said Tuesday in accepting an invitation to play the Memorial Tournament. "If they're like this at every tournament, I think I'll move here."

There is no mistaking the talent.

From the left rough in the final round of the Byron Nelson Classic, his approach to the 18th green climbed over a tree, faded gently toward the green and stopped 10 feet behind the cup. The birdie put him in a tie for third -- better than Tiger Woods, Justin Leonard and 147 other players in the field.

The Salesmanship Club of Dallas usually invites only the Nelson champion to its volunteers' party after the tournament. This time, it asked the kid to come by. Garcia walked in the door to an ovation that nearly blew the roof off the tent.

"Once every 10 years, someone like this comes along," said Jerry Higginbotham, who may have stumbled into a gold mine when he was fired as Mark O'Meara's caddie and picked up by Garcia for the rest of what could be a fascinating year.

"He has a no-miss sign right on his forehead," Lee Trevino said the day after the Nelson. "There is no denying this kid."

Where the kid goes from here is anyone's guess.

An affiliate member of the European tour, he is eligible as a captain's pick for the Ryder Cup team. Suddenly, a teen-ager in the most pressure-packed event in golf doesn't seem so ludicrous.

"I'm very impressed with his third place," European captain Mark James said. "He's been playing pro tournaments for about three years, and he's very mature for a 19-year-old."

Four rounds in relatively easy scoring conditions does not make a star, but Garcia clearly has the ingredients -- fearless play, composure beyond his years, the short-game magic of Seve Ballesteros and the youthful exuberance of Woods three years ago.

"All the youngsters have great appeal. How long he'll hold that, I don't know," Trevino said. "I remember one that always had a smile on his face and was tipping the hat, and now he's burying his clubs in the ground."

Garcia does not want to be compared to Woods, although that's a tall order.

Both had sterling amateur records. Woods' mark is unprecedented with his three straight U.S. Amateur titles, while Garcia won the British Amateur, was the first European to be low amateur in the Masters and had a 37-2 record in match play.

"His opponents would look at his eyes on the first tee and realize they were already 2-down," said Garcia's manager, Jose Marquina.

Woods tied for 60th in his first pro start, 11th the next and won in only his fifth try. Garcia tied for 25th in the Spanish Open and tied for third in the Nelson.

That moved him up to No. 208 in the world rankings. He can break the top 100 by winning this week against a field in Germany that includes Woods, O'Meara and Ernie Els. It took Woods a record six weeks to get into the top 100.

"If they compare you with a good player, that means that you have something in your game," Garcia said. "But I always want to be just myself.''

There may be similarities in style, but a vast difference in how they prepared.

Woods spent two years at Stanford and tested the professional waters primarily in the majors. His best was a tie for 22nd in the 1996 British Open. Of course, that was the year Tom Lehman handed his claret jug to Garcia and said, "Someday, you'll win this."

Garcia may still be studying for his driver's license, but he played 80 amateur events in 20 countries, and 28 professional events as an amateur. One of those was the Nike Greensboro Classic last year, where he tied for third behind Joe Ogilvie.

"He's got the whole deal," said Ogilvie, who was paired with Garcia the first two rounds in the Nelson. "He'll win soon, and I think when he wins it will be by four, five or six strokes. He's got a game like Tiger had at the Masters when he blew everybody away."

Garcia's goal is to get his European tour card and make the Ryder Cup team. Even before the Nelson, Ballesteros said the kid would be a good pick.

"New mind, new blood, no fear," Ballesteros said.

AP