The Daily Oklahoman from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • 29

THE DAILY OKIAHOMAN RYDER CUP NOTES S-0 THURSDAY. SEPTEMBER 23. 1999 Garcia now Spain's main man Ryder: Stewart in leadership role From Page 1-D AP PHOTO Sergio Garcia of Spain, the youngest Ryder Cup competitor, watches his shot from a sand trap during a practice round. By Hm DaNbers AP Sparta Writer BROO KLINE, Mass. Sergio Garcia doesn't have to step up this week and try to end American domination at tho Ryder Cup.

One of his countrymen helped take care of that 14 years ago. Seve Ballesteros is gone, though, and tho hopes or Europe retaining tho cup may well rest with the young new admiral of the Spanish Armada. Only a few months after he first got paid to play. Garcia is the unlikely leader of both the three-man Spanish contingent at The Country Club and possibly the European team itself. His infectious enthusiasm, unlimited imagination and unbridled talent are just the things needed to spark a team loaded with rookies against the favored Americans.

"Sergio is a very exciting kid who could be the best in the world," Tom Lehman said. "He leads by bis play and example on the golf course." Anyone who remembers Gar-cia's 6-iron that faded cnto the green from between tree roots during his duel with Tiger Woods at the PGA Championship last month or his leaping run after the ball doesn't need to be reminded of the excitement he brings to the game. professional golf. Olazabal knows it. but it's clear ho doesn't begrudge Garcia anything.

Asked Tuesday what impressed him most about Garcia, Olazabal said "everything," before describing his various talents. "Don't say anything else. I'm getting red," Garcia said, the two laughing. Garcia and Olazabal, a five-time Ryder Cup member, will be joined on the team by Miguel Angel Jlmlnez, who, like Garcia, is making his cup debut Together, they give Spain a full fourth of the European team. If history is any indication, that may not be good for the U.S.

team, which had a 28-year winning streak snapped in 1985' when Ballesteros and fellow-Spaniard Manuel Pinero, combined for 7V4 points at The. Belfry in Sutton Coldfield, Eng- land. "Seeing all those' Spanish players playing in the Ryder Cup, it's an honor to be here," Garcia said. "It's an honor to be following their footsteps. I' think we have a lot of good; players in Spain and maybe be-, cause it's not such a great sport in Spain." If it becomes a great sport, it might be due to the fieriness: that Ballesteros showed openly, and that seems to be deep inside, Olazabal and Garcia.

last two Ryder Cup teams I was on, wo won. And tho lost two I wasn't on. wo didn't win." Hero ho Is, Anally, ready to mako a difference, willing to grab his teammates by tho collar and shake some spirit into them if he finds it lacking. "He's a beauty." Mark O'Meara said. "Payne is Payne.

He's got a tremendous love for the game of golf, and it shows. And I think that helps our team, no question about it." Remember that roar Stewart let out when he made a 15-foot par putt to win the U.S. Open? Should the United States finally win back the Ryder Cup, he just might be heard all the way back to Britain. "He wears his feelings right there on his sleeve for all the world to see," Tom Lehman said. "And for that reason, he's a fantastic teammate and partner.

If you have a problem being excited about what's going on being around him, you have a real problem." Lehman and Davis Love played against Stewart and Justin Leonard during an alternate-shot match Wednesday in a gloomy drizzle at The Country Club. It was tight until the end, when Stewart holed a chip for birdie on the 18th. About three hours later, the first words out of Stewart's mouth summed up his mood. "I think everybody is ready for Friday," he said. "I know I am.

This is something I've looked forward to all year long, and I'm very excited about being back." And what is not to love about a 19-year-old who not only wanted to make the European team, but to play Woods in the Sunday singles. "I'm sure I'll have to play against him," Garcia said. "It will be nice. But what I have in my mind right now is to help the European team try to win the cup." Garcia may have a big hand in that, with European captain Mark James expected to send him out not only on Sunday but also in the alternate shot and best ball competitions that set the stage for the final day. In practice Wednesday, Garcia was partnered with Jesper Parnevik for alternate shot play.

But he could end up going out with Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal, who along with Ballesteros has been a mentor to the young Spaniard. "We are pretty good friends," Garcia said. "I met him when I was 11 years old, I think, playing a Spanish event in his home course. He's been always trying to help me, and I'm really pleased with that" Olazabal, who inherited the title of Spain's best golfer from Ballesteros, figures to pass it along some day to Garcia. That day could come sooner than later, judging from Gar-cia's spectacular explosion into AP PHOTO Payne Stewart says he'll gladly assume the role of team captain at the Ryder Cup.

That excitement may have been lacking the past couple of years, certainly two years ago at Valderrama. One of the questions Americans seem to face after every loss five of the last seven, to be exact is whether they possess the same passion as Europe when the stakes are as simple as a gold chalice that could fit in carry-on luggage. That doesn't appear to be the case this year. "We're a little bit more determined because there are a few of us that have been through some losing teams," Love said. "We all get along very well.

There's not any real dissension. A lot of guys are having a lot of fun." It all starts with Stewart. The leader is captain Ben Crenshaw, who has instilled a sense of history about the Ryder Cup and a sense of purpose about winning it back. But leadership also comes from the players hitting the shots, and the search for that player always seems to go back to Stewart. OCASA will sponsor SAC tournaments rshorts, Shirts, Jackets, Sweaters 9V 00 tin 1 0 Off Our Already Lcnv Discount Prices Everything in Stock and one of the premier sports promotions agencies in the nation," said SAC commissioner John Hudson.

"Our vision is to see the SAC tournament receive the type of recognition it has deserved," said All Sports executive director Tim I rUUIJU I UCAIEK The Oklahoma City All Sports Association will sponsor the Sooner Athletic Conference men's and women's basketball tournaments in March with the finals in the Myriad Convention Center. The SAC tournaments will begin at Southern Naza- rene's Sawyer Center March 2-4, then shift to the Myriad for the finals March 6. The agreement between the All Sports Association and the SAC is for two years. "We believe that this is a partnership between the premier NAIA basketball conference in the country LETONic reebok TTTLEIST TAYLOR M1ZUNO MADE SPALDING CALLAWAY Clubs Sports ROUNDUP The ower o1 BOXING rne1 Title fight sets TV record four months, the outlook would be dim for the 2000 Triple Crown series. OLYMPICS Welch might testify The man who won the 2002 Winter Olympics for Salt Lake City might be willing to testify against IOC officials in exchange for immunity from federal prosecution.

A source close to Tom Welch, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press the former Salt Lake bid leader would insist on immunity for his own protection, and not because he would admit to any criminal wrongdoing. Welch and his lawyer, Tom Schaffer, have not proposed an immunity deal to the Justice Department, nor have they been contacted by federal prosecutors or the FBI during the 10-month investigation. A Justice Department official, who asked not to be identified, said it was unlikely Welch would be granted immunity since he is the main target of a federal grand jury probe. PRO BASKETBALL Wizards get Profit The Washington Wizards obtained the rights to guard forward Laron Profit from the Orlando Magic for a conditional second-round selection in a future NBA draft. Profit was a second-round pick of Orlando, 38th overall, in this year's draft after playing collegiately at the University of Maryland.

The 6-foot-4, 202-pound Profit averaged 14.5 points and 4.8 rebounds in 34 games with the Terrapins last season. HOCKEY 5 picked for hall Herb Brooks and Jim Craig highlight a list of five former U.S. Olympians to be inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in Colorado Springs, Colo. Brooks, coach of the U.S.'s 1980 gold medal-winning "Miracle on Ice" hockey team, and Craig, the team's goalie, will also be joined by Mark Johnson, the squad's leading scorer during the tournament. Other inductees are Mike Curran, goalie of the 1972 U.S.

silver medal-winning hockey team, and Hal Trum-ble, former executive director of the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States, now known as USA Hockey. FROM WIRE REPORTS HBO's pay-per-view telecast of Felix Trinidad's victory over Oscar De La Hoya set a record for a non-heavyweight fight with 1.25 million buys and more than $64 million in revenue. The previous mark was 800,000 buys and $34 million from the 1997 fight between De La Hoya and Pernell Wnitaker, according to TVKO, the pay-per-view arm of HBO Sports. The De La Hoya-Trinidad bout ranks as the third-highest grossing pay-per-view fight ever, behind both of Evander Holyfield's wins over Mike Tyson. Trinidad won a majority decision in the 12 rounder in Las Vegas, adding De La Hoya's WBC title to his IBF crown.

The fight will be replayed on HBO on Saturday night. TENNIS Teen loses in debut Monique Viele's first appearance on the WTA Tour didn't last long. The 14-year-old from West Palm Beach, lost to fellow American Jane Chi 6-3, 6-1 in the first round of the Toyota Princess Cup tournament in Tokyo. After challenging the WTA Tour rule barring players 14 and under from playing in its events, Viele received a wild card into this tournament. The organization amended its rule in June to allow 14-year-olds to receive one wild card into WTA Tour events.

HORSE RACING Bevo sidelined Bevo, one of the top 2-year-old race horses in the country, had surgery to remove a bone chip in his left knee and not only will he be out the rest of year, but his status was in doubt for next year's Triple Crown races. The colt was hurt while scoring an upset in Sunday's Belmont Futurity in New York. Bevo was shipped to the New Jersey Equine Clinic where he had surgery Tuesday. The prognosis for his complete recovery is good but, according to trainer Bill Badgett, if it takes as long as Introducing the Sprint PCS Wireless Web: Now, for the first time, you can access real-time information right off the Internet with any wireless Internet-ready Sprint PCS Phone And with the Sprint PCS Wireless Web Browser you can view specially designed text versions of web sites like Yahoo!" and CNN Mobile when you are on the move. Just choose any Sprint PCS Free Clear Plan and add the Wireless Web Option for only S9.99 a month.

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