Garcia hoping to go one better in 2000

It seemed the perfect start to a wonderful rivalry.

Walking off after making a birdie on the 13th green in last year's PGA Championship, Sergio Garcia stopped and stared back at Tiger Woods on the tee. It was the brash teen-ager's way of telling the world's best golfer that the game was on.

Garcia would lose a thrilling back nine chase by one shot, but not before leaping into the public's fancy after hitting from the trees on the 16th hole.

His future as Woods' main rival seemed assured. Until he found out how hard it is to chase a Tiger.

``Probably there is a little extra pressure because of trying to be the rival of Tiger Woods,'' Garcia said Wednesday. ``But I think if you are strong mentally and you believe in yourself, you don't have to have any trouble with that.''

A year after nearly beating Woods at Medinah Country Club, Garcia is back at the PGA Championship hoping to somehow rekindle his role as the one person who can challenge Woods down the stretch.

More mature and reflective at the age of 20, though, he realizes it won't be easy.

``We all have our chances and we just have to believe in ourselves,'' Garcia said. ``You know, don't be thinking about Tiger; just be thinking about your own game and try to shoot as many under par as you can.''

Easy enough to say, but hard to do. Just ask anyone watching Woods blow away the fields in the U.S. Open and the British Open.

While Woods has gone on to win two more majors since holding off Garcia, the Spanish sensation has struggled much of this year.

He wasn't in contention at the Masters or the U.S. Open, though he came back to play well in the British Open last month before fading with a final-round 76. Each time he gets in contention, a bad hole or two seems to throw his concentration off and he falters.

``I have been expecting so much of myself and I threw some tournaments because I saw I didn't have a chance of winning the tournament,'' Garcia said. ``I just threw it away because, obviously, if I am not going to win, you lay down yourself.''

Garcia hasn't won since the German Masters last year, with a third in the Buick Classic and a fifth in the Volvo PGA his only two top 10s in a season split between the European and PGA tours.

``He's a very young lad and sometimes when people are pushed into that situation it is very difficult to put expectation on them,'' Colin Montgomerie said. ``I'm sure Sergio's talent will see him through, but, obviously, he is not as happy as he might be.''

Garcia's slump was compounded by putting woes that prompted him to switch to a cross-handed style to try and get his shoulders in line with his putts. He abandoned that last week, but said he is now putting well.

He remains a fan favorite, as evidenced Wednesday at Valhalla by the autograph seekers thrusting items into his hands as he walked from the practice green to the clubhouse. Shouts of ``Sergio, Sergio'' followed him everywhere.

``A lot of people are cheering at me and they do know me,'' Garcia said. ``Hopefully, they will cheer me up and they will help me making birdies out there.''

Sam Torrance, who will most likely have Garcia on his side when he captains the European Ryder Cup team next year, said it may have actually helped Garcia to lose to Woods last year and then struggle some this year.

Garcia lines up a putt on the 7th during Wednesday's practice round. Allsport.

Too much and too soon can ruin a career, he said.

``I don't know if losing is ever good, but it's going to help him in the long run,'' Torrance said.

Garcia didn't exactly buy that line of reasoning, but does realize that something special did happen to him last year at Medinah, win or lose.

``For being my first year as a pro it was something I couldn't imagine,'' he said. ``To have the feeling and to be up there battling against Tiger for a major championship, it was something really good.''

And what could be better?

``To finish one better,'' he said.

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