Garcia excels when in Ryder Cup

He admittedly gets under the skin of the Americans, because he often wins.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Except for the freckles and playful grin, it’s a wonder anyone recognizes Sergio Garcia at the Ryder Cup.

The Spaniard who can’t seem to make a 4-foot putt with a major championship on the line, can’t seem to miss from 20 feet when playing for a golf trophy he has to share.

Garcia is considered the best player to never win a major. For one week every two years, he is simply the best.

There are no excuses at the Ryder Cup, only celebrations.

“He brings a lot of passion to this team. When you see Sergio, you see Seve,” European captain Nick Faldo said Tuesday, referring to Seve Ballesteros, Garcia’s countryman and former Ryder Cup star. “They love this event. Obviously, match play is different, isn’t it? And he gets fired up. He’s great off the golf course. So he’s a key member to the team.”

Garcia has never lost in eight alternate-shot matches, and the only U.S. team to beat him in fourballs was Tiger Woods and Davis Love III. Garcia is 6-1 against Woods and Phil Mickelson in team matches.

Even more astounding is a 14-4-2 record in his four Ryder Cup appearances.

“If you had to pick one guy out as the toughest test, that you would say is the guy to beat, I’d have to pick Sergio,” Jim Furyk said.

And make no mistake — the Americans would love nothing more than to beat him.

Garcia has proven to be the best at hitting pivotal shots, holing clutch putts and staking Europe to big leads. He also has become the best at getting under the Americans’ skin.

The exuberance began in 1999 when he was 19, the youngest player in Ryder Cup history. Garcia spent the week shaking his fists and leaping into the arms of Jesper Parnevik. Then came 2002, when he sprinted down the 18th fairway and mobbed Pierre Fulke in the middle of his match with Love, forcing the Swede to stop and call it a draw.

Two years ago, Europe bolted to a 10-6 lead and was headed for another blowout victory. Garcia was 4-0 that week, and the Americans jokingly told Stewart Cink he would be locked out of the room if he didn’t beat the Spaniard.

“No one had to tell me that,” Cink said.

Cink built a big lead early, then closed him out with two long putts.

“I think it angered him,” Cink said. “I heard him muttering. I would have been muttering, too.”

Maybe it’s his constant chattering that makes Garcia so annoying. Remember, this is the guy who last time said, “Nothing is sweeter than beating the Americans.”

Perhaps it’s the fiery celebrations after winning a hole, even if he wasn’t the one who sank the putt.

Above all, it’s the fact he keeps winning.

“He’s a heck of a player,” Cink said. “He loves the Ryder Cup. He enjoys it so much, going head to head. Does he get under our skin? Only because he wins a lot.”

Some Americans felt the same way about Ballesteros, the spiritual leader of the European team since his debut in 1979. Even with five majors, Ballesteros bled for the Ryder Cup.

“Sergio is one of the most passionate players that Europe has ever had,” U.S. captain Paul Azinger said. “I just feel like he elevates somehow. He putts different. He putts better. Ask him why he makes so many putts.”