Garcia looking for new playing partner

Aug 22, 2008 - 7:40 PM By Simon Lewis PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PARAMUS, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Sergio Garcia has offered to take a Ryder Cup rookie under his wing as a playing partner at Valhalla next month.

The Spaniard, a highly successful regular for Europe in the Ryder Cup matches since his debut as a teenager in 1999, will be unable to renew either of his partnerships from the 2006 Matches in Ireland against the Americans in Kentucky. So on Friday at the Barclays tournament he said he would like to help captain Nick Faldo by mentoring a first-time team member.

Garcia, who moved into contention on Friday at The Barclays tournament in New Jersey with a second-round 67, has only lost once in 16 matches playing in tandem with another golfer.

He boasts a perfect 8-0 record in Ryder Cup foursomes and of his eight fourball rubbers has won five, lost once and halved twice. The only defeat came in a fourball with Lee Westwood, although that pairing has also won 4.5 points.

Garcia's compatriot Jose Maria Olazabal, with whom he went undefeated in two fourballs at The K Club two years ago, will be one of captain Nick Faldo's non-playing assistants while Luke Donald has undergone season-ending wrist surgery and will therefore not resume an unbeaten four-match foursomes partnership going back to Oakland Hills in 2004.

"I have neither of my two partners from the last Ryder Cup," Garcia said. "I mean, Olaz??bal will be there, but as a vice captain. Obviously Luke, with his wrist injury, we are going to miss him for a while. You know, I've played with Lee before, and we've done well. So that might be, but I don't know what Nick is thinking.

"You know, I'm always happy to play with any of the newcomers and give them a little bit of -- how do you say, like cheer them up and give them some confidence. I think as an up and comer, or as a rookie on the team, it's always nice when you play with one that has played some Ryder Cups. We'll see, but I'm sure that Nick will do a great job and will mix everybody up nicely."

The chances of Garcia partnering Ryder Cup hero Colin Montgomerie appear to be reducing as the Scotsman now relies on one of two captain's picks and is struggling for form. Yet Garcia is refusing to rule Montgomerie out of an appearance at Valhalla.

"Obviously Monty has done so much for The European Team in the Ryder Cups, and we'll see what happens," Garcia said. "If he doesn't get to play, obviously it's something that we will miss. But at the same time, you want to have the best players out there. If he's not playing at his best, you know, you've got to move on and give the spot to somebody that is playing better.

"We'll see what happens. There's still a couple of weeks, this one and next week and it will all be revealed, I guess."