Sergio Garcia's mum in shave pledge

The dark Spanish eyes of Consuelo Garcia could soon sparkle from a bald head.

'El Nino', her hurricane of a son, will devastate mum's coiffeur if he wins the Open.

It's the talk of the Carnoustie locker-room, not to mention a shocked salon in the small town of Castellon.

Already, 19-year-old Sergio is sporting a 'No.1 cut' in celebration of victory in the Murphy's Irish Open. Dad Vicktor and manager Jose Marquina had themselves scalped in support.

Now, Consuelo has volunteered for the same close shave if Sergio triumphs in the big one, which starts on Thursday.

It sounds like madness from a 50-year-old lady, but Sergio's career is a family obsession. All kinds of sacrifices have been made since the kid's prodigious talent emerged before he entered nursery school.

Until this year, when Sergio began earning big money, the Garcias lived very modestly in a cramped apartment. Vicktor worked as a caddie and Consuelo still serves in the local pro's shop.

Every spare peseta went on travel throughout Europe and America as Sergio learned his trade. When Dad finally led the lad to the first tee at Augusta, to play in the US Masters, it was the culmination of a dream.

Consuelo remembers: "I have never seen Vicktor so emotional. I swear he was happier than the day he married me."

Today the couple - plus Sergio's brother, Vicktor jnr, and sister, Mar - have a beautiful home on a golf course fringing the Mediterranean. The good times roll.

So can Sergio complete the fairytale with Open glory as a rookie professional? "I'm not afraid," he insists. "All parts of my game are great right now.

"I've heard that Carnoustie is the most difficult course in the world, but if I putt in the Open like I did in Ireland, everything will be OK."

With confidence like that there must be a distinct danger that Consuelo will not keep her hair on. Victory in the Open would not only wrap up a Ryder Cup place but it would also send Sergio towards the top of the money-tree in Europe, and soaring up the world rankings.

"To be No 1 in the world is difficult, but that's my ambition," he said.

"Every day I play in a tournament, my attitude is the same - to be No 1. But if I can't achieve that, then as long as I play great and don't make any mistakes every position is great for me."

But, however much it would mean to Garcia to be crowned Carnoustie's first Open champion in 29 years, it's not the tournament victory that he craves most. "The Ryder Cup is the No 1 tournament in the world - bigger than the majors," said Garcia.

"Every golfer wants to play in the Ryder Cup. I'd love to be in the team this year, but if it's not possible then I can wait - I'm still young." Twelve months ago it would have been fanciful to expect Garcia to make the European side this September, but if Ryder Cup captain Mark James needs any more convincing that the kid can handle pressure, then he need only look at the video tapes of Garcia's last-round 64 in Ireland.

Those already assured of European selection, including Colin Montgomerie, agree that Garcia is a walk-up choice.

Ben Crenshaw, the US captain, is also smart enough to recognise talent when he sees it. He says: "A kid like this is extra-special. There is no doubt in my mind he'll be in the European team."

Garcia has previously played down his chances of landing a seat on September's Boston-bound Concorde, but after dazzling fans in Ireland and at Loch Lomond he's now warmed to the idea of tackling the Americans.

"The possibility of being in the team is not so remote now," he said.

"If I make a good score at the Open and in the US PGA then I can probably get in on points. I want to work hard to be in the team." Garcia is no stranger to team competition. He played in an under-16 European Young Masters against an American side at Wentworth back in 1995.

"It was very exciting with the crowd really supporting us. I loved all the cheering and the excitement," he said.

"It was nothing like any other tournament I have played - you needed to think all the time about your partner." If Garcia gets to go to Brookline he'll surely be paired with boyhood mentor Jose Maria Olazabal.

But while Ollie has been like a brother to Garcia, Seve Ballesteros is the man the young Garcia admires most.

"Seve has helped me in so many ways," he said. "He's been like a second dad to me and I hope he can come back and be a star again. The sooner that happens the better because he is a great player."

And what advice does Garcia have for his fellow Carnoustie competitors?

"Beware! I really want to win the Open."