If I could only win one major, I'd want it to be the Open, says Garcia

ALTHOUGH he's contended in all four of the majors over the past five years, Sergio Garcia declared yesterday that if the fates decree he can only win one of the game's most coveted championships during the course of his career then he would choose to lift the Claret Jug.

Speaking at Turnberry, where he'll return next summer prepared to improve on his last visit to Scotland when he was beaten in a play-off for the Open by Padraig Harrington at Carnoustie, the young Spaniard made it clear he thrives on the affection of the galleries in this part of the world.

"It's probably right to say that links golf is best suited to my game in the majors," he said. "I believe when I'm on that I can win anywhere. But I really love the crowds, all the people, who come to the Open in this part of the country. How they cheer you on. I've been very fortunate to feel loved in Britain and Ireland. If I could choose one major to win – someone tells me you're only going to win one in your whole life – there's no doubt that I would choose the Open championship."

A past winner of the Amateur at Muirfield and a regular visitor to Scotland since he first set foot on the linksland as a teenager, Garcia added: "I first came here when I was 13 to play in boys' events on links courses.

"I just loved the set-ups and the variety of shots you can hit. You need to use your imagination: it wasn't just hitting the same shot again and again as it can be in the US."

While Sergio, 28, is yet to become fully acquainted with the alterations made by the Royal and Ancient to the Ailsa – he last played here in the British Amateur won by Warren Bladon 12 years ago – he's optimistic about building on a track record at the Open of six top ten finishes in his past eight appearances.

"I hope it will suit me. I've only played here once before in 1996 at the Amateur. I hope to feel comfortable and get it round. I've been fortunate to play fairly well at the Open in the past and look forward to doing a little better."

It's on the cards Turnberry will also host the European Open as from 2010 and though he has a few issues with the British taxman – the main reason he doesn't compete more often in the UK – Garcia indicated he would support another links event in Scotland.

"I would definitely come – I love the knowledge and politeness of the galleries here," he said. "And for all the advances in technology, courses like (the Ailsa] still seem to hold their own. It's great to come back to these beautiful places where the game is still played the way it's meant to be."

Garcia, who is designing the Wind course at Jumeirah Golf Estates, the complex where the Dubai World Golf Championship will be held next year, made the trip to Turnberry primarily to promote the Race to Dubai.

A member of the US PGA Tour as well as the European Tour, the young Spaniard revealed some of his friends in American were considering joining the European circuit next season. "They certainly have it in their minds," he said. "I don't know how many will join the Race to Dubai and try to play here a little bit. But they're definitely thinking about it, which is a great start. I'm sure we'll see some familiar faces from the PGA Tour coming to play more in Europe."

Garcia, mark you, was disinclined to name names. "If I tell you I talked to this guy, and then he doesn't come, it doesn't make me look good. But I have spoken to some decent players who are interested."

Ready to play more often in Europe himself, Garcia believes the Race to Dubai will be a powerful agent in the years ahead when it comes to plugging the drain of talent across the Atlantic.

"The best players will play more in Europe – that's certainly true in my case – and this is a great opportunity for us to attract more top names. There will be tournaments where the world ranking points are higher here than in the US."

Winner of the Players Championship at Sawgrass as well as runner-up in both the US PGA at Oakland Hills and the Tour Championship in Atlanta, most of Garcia's best moments during 2008 were in America where he finished fourth behind Vijay Singh, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson on the money list with earnings of $4.85 million

"I think it was a good year, very positive because I won the Players and went close in many others," said the world No 5. "But what's encouraging is that every part of my game is improving. Not just my long game, but also my short game and the way I approach things.

Overall, it wasn't a great year. That would have needed wins at some of the ones where I finished second – the PGA, the Tour Championship, the Barclays and the European Open."

In his review of the season, Garcia didn't mention the Ryder Cup, where he was said to be under the weather after a course of antibiotics. Perhaps this wasn't surprising. After playing brilliantly in the four previous matches and declaring at the K Club there was nothing sweeter than beating Americans, the Spaniard collected just two half points at Valhalla. Moreover, he asked to be left out of the foursomes on Saturday morning and, apart from a couple of flashes of passion, appeared uninspired by Nick Faldo's captaincy.

Whoever leads Europe at Celtic Manor in 2010 will surely have a shrewder understanding of what makes Garcia tick and restore his place at the heart of team matters.

As George O'Grady, the chief executive of the European Tour, observed: " I don't care if we won or lost, you can see what Sergio does to a Ryder Cup team – the emotion, the spirit and the leadership qualities."