Garcia aiming high at Johnnie Walker Classic
IN: News | Australasian PGA | Johnnie Walker Classic (2003) | General | 12 Feb 2003
Spain's Sergio Garcia faces some world-class opposition at this week's Johnnie Walker Classic, but that hasn't deterred him from setting the same lofty goals that he aimed for last year.
It may only be February but the young Spaniard already has his sights set on winning the money list titles on both the European and US PGA Tours. This week's Johnnie Walker Classic is being played at Lake Karrinyup Country Club in Perth for the second year in a row, and is tri-sanctioned by the European, Australasian and Asian PGA Tours.
"I'll try and win both the US and European Order of Merits if I can. It is a tough thing to do, I know. If not, I'll just try to be as high as I can with the money leaders. Then I'll try to keep playing well in the majors and hopefully go away with one, or more, whatever comes. My goals are pretty much the same."
World number two South African Ernie Els, winner of four of his last five events, his compatriot and defending champion Retief Goosen and last week's winner Paul Casey from England have all made the trip to Lake Karrinyup.
Also competing are England's Nick Faldo, Justin Rose and Lee Westwood, plus Australian Adam Scott, Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, and rising South African star Trevor Immelman.
Els is the player everyone fears at the moment. He won the opening two events this year on the US PGA Tour in Hawaii, finished second three weeks ago in the Caltex Masters in Singapore and won the Heineken Classic in Melbourne the following week.
Said Garcia: "Ernie has been playing unbelievable. He's done something in the last three months that I don't think anybody's done before. Out of the last five tournaments he's had four wins and one second. It's going to be exciting. I am looking forward to playing against him and Goose (Goosen) and all the great players we have."
Garcia finished third at Lake Karrinyup last year while his bid to top the money lists on both sides of the Atlantic finished with him ending in 12th position on the US PGA Tour Money List and sixth on the European Tour Order of Merit.
He won four times around the world last year, including the Mercedes Championship in America and the Spanish Open.
"I wasn't unhappy with my year. I know it wasn't my best year, mainly because I felt I played good enough to win a lot more times than I did. I only won once in America. I think I should have won two or three times there. There is no doubt about it," added Garcia, who played a key role in Europe's victory over the United States in the Ryder Cup.
Garcia also won the Korean Open last year, which was his first victory in Asia. A strong line-up of Asian players will compete this week led by India's Jyoti Randhawa, winner of the last year's Asian PGA Tour Order of Merit title.
Also competing is China's Zhang Lian-wei, who was the man who beat Els in the Caltex Masters and the first ever Chinese golfer to break into the Top-100 of the Official World Golf Ranking. Top Thai golfer Prayad Marksaeng, Singapore's number one Mardan Mamat and Malaysia's leading player Danny Chia will also challenge for honours.
