Good start to pro career for Garcia

It would have been the debut to end all debuts. Sergio Garcia shoots 31 under par and wins professional debut by 10.

Unfortunately, it did not happen. Although for a moment at the Spanish Open in Barcelona it looked as though it had.

The 19-year-old appeared for a press conference after the closing round of his first tournament and reporters were handed a scoresheet which showed him finishing on a total of 257.

Sadly, it was a mistake. But Garcia's nine under par 279 for joint 25th place, 12 behind winner Jarmo Sandelin, was still no mean performance by the teenager of whom so much is expected.

Tiger Woods managed only 60th spot on his debut in the paid ranks in 1996. But staying ahead of the American from now on is going to be difficult - Woods's next finishes were 11th, fifth, third, first, third, first.

Garcia earned £5,670, which is £5,670 more than Justin Rose has managed in his 17 tournaments as a pro. But to avoid a trip to the qualifying school at the end of the season Garcia has to improve in the six events he has left as an affiliate member of the European tour.

His next starts here are in the Deutsche Bank Open in Heidleburg and Volvo PGA championship next month, but first comes the Byron Nelson Classic in Texas in two weeks' time.