THE RYDER CUP

September 21, 2021

Sergio Garcia

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: Good morning, and welcome back to the 43rd Ryder Cup here at Whistling Straits. We are joined by Mr. Sergio Garcia. Sergio, welcome.

SERGIO GARCIA: Thank you.

THE MODERATOR: 10th career Ryder Cup. You've hit double digits. The other number I want to ask you about is 25 and a half. All-time leader in this wonderful event in points. That's just an incredible thing. How aware are you of that? It blows me away; how does that impact you, and do you take that to the first tee with you Friday, Saturday and Sunday?

SERGIO GARCIA: No, not really. I don't think it means anything once you step up there. To be totally honesty, wasn't really aware until Sunday three years ago in Paris because it's never been a goal of mine -- don't get me wrong, I'm very proud of it and it's something that obviously I'm going to have at least the rest of my life personally, but once you step on that first tee it's not about you, it's about the team.

And I've always said it. I'd rather into 0-5 and win the Ryder Cup than 5-0 and lose it. That's not going to change. It doesn't matter.

The most important thing is that Europe plays well, that we give ourselves the best chance to win the Cup, and that's the goal.

Q. When we first saw you in '99 you were running around the golf course like Usain Bolt. When did the Ryder Cup get in your blood?

SERGIO GARCIA: In '95. Yeah, I remember I was at the Junior Ryder Cup and we went to watch the practice round at Oak Hill in Rochester, and I remember Seve grabbed me under the ropes, and I think I walked -- I think it was the 12th hole, a little bit of the 12th hole, and we were talking a little bit and he was explaining things to me. So that was obviously amazing. Took a picture and stuff.

Then I remember walking to the international pavilion and saw some of the European crowds just singing, and the energy that I felt, I remember as a 15 year old I was there and I was like, I have to be a part of this at some point in my life.

Obviously it came a lot earlier than I thought in '99, but from that moment on I loved it.

And then obviously 1999 was amazing with Jesper, and even though we lost it, the way the whole week went, it just felt unbelievable.

Q. What in your mind has been the secret to your success in this competition? As a follow to that, is there a common denominator for guys like Poults and Lee, the veterans on this group, all of whom have had a lot of success here?

SERGIO GARCIA: I don't know. I've obviously had amazing partners, so I've obviously done some good things myself. But I've just been able to gel nicely with all the partners that I've had, and we've had an amazing time. I've been very thankful for that.

But I think at the end of the day, like I was saying, the main goal is the team and where the team wants to head to, and that's what we always try. You kind of put yourself aside for this week and just enjoy it with the rest of your teammates and everyone around.

Q. Unrelated follow. With the video that Paddy showed you guys and everybody having a number and whatnot, I'm curious how powerful that is to you guys.

SERGIO GARCIA: It was very powerful. I didn't know my number. I didn't know -- I knew that -- I've always known that being a part of the Ryder Cup team is very difficult, but I didn't know that only that little amount of players have made it. So that showed you how difficult it really is.

That's why every time I'm a part of a team or the rest of our teammates, that's why we give it the respect that it deserves, because it's so difficult to be a part of it.

It's an honor, and we treat it like that.

Q. You mentioned obviously you've had different partners through the years of the Ryder Cups. I think you've partnered Lee maybe seven times. How early on do you know if something is going to work or not, and why would you two mesh so well?

SERGIO GARCIA: No, I mean, it just -- I guess chemistry, how you feel. We've had some good matches that we've won and then we've had some ones that maybe we haven't played as well. It just comes down to how you feel that week, and more than anything, just kind of being there for your partner, enjoying your time with him, and the good and the bad and the ugly.

Just enjoy it; it's as simple as that.

Q. What was your number?

SERGIO GARCIA: 120.

Q. Does Team Europe, does the Ryder Cup mean more to Team Europe than Team USA?

SERGIO GARCIA: I can't respond to that. I don't know how much it means to the -- I know how much it means to us, but I don't know how much it means to them. I know that to us it means a lot. Just being a part of it, it's amazing for us.

I mean, that's pretty much the only thing I can tell you about it, I guess.

Q. In 2018 Jon Rahm defeated Tiger Woods; how big do you think that was in his progression to now being World No. 1?

SERGIO GARCIA: I think it was important for sure. He will probably tell you about it better.

But I think he was headed that way anyway. He's just a great player. He's got all the shots.

It's just nice to see -- as a Spaniard, it's nice to see how he's evolved and how obviously he's grown up and the way that his game has gotten better and better.

It's nice to see, and you could see that he was kind of headed that way.

Q. Regardless of how you're playing, you seem to show up at this event with this remarkable consistency. This is maybe a difficult thing to answer, but how do you take that energy or whatever you're feeling around this event, how much it means to you, how do you convert that into executing shots and making putts?

SERGIO GARCIA: I don't know. I mean, to be totally honest, obviously I've had Ryder Cups where I've come into them playing really well and I've done well, and then there's Ryder Cups where I've come maybe not feeling quite as well and I seem to hit a switch when I get here.

Obviously the excitement that I get when I come into the Ryder Cups, it's something that I can't describe it. I can't tell you what happens, but it happens. It's just love for it.

Yeah, it just comes down to challenging yourself every match. It's fun to me, the energy that you feel around the world, not only with the crowds but with your partners and with your teammates and stuff like that. It's something very unique, and it seems to drive me to a higher level, I guess.

Q. That flipping of the switch that you're describing, when does that happen? Is it a slow build to the week and then your first match the switch goes, or do you start early?

SERGIO GARCIA: No, it probably starts as soon as you know you're in the team. Obviously it grows as you get closer to crunch time and Friday morning or Friday afternoon, whenever you're going to play, but obviously Friday morning when everything starts, that's when it starts hitting the highest point.

But it just kind of builds up as soon as you know that you're in the team. It's exciting.

Like last week with practicing and stuff, every morning I would wake up and I would turn to my wife Angela and I would say, Okay, we're getting closer, we're getting closer to going to the Ryder Cup. It's always such a fun thing.

THE MODERATOR: Gracias. Appreciate it. Have a good day.