Back to the future as Garrido legacy continues

The man with the wise head got it right. "All we hear about is Tiger Woods," said Bernhard Langer, "but we've got some great young players in Europe, players with outstanding talent." Indeed, in time, the Ryder Cup in Valderrama could be seen as providing the catalyst for the emergence of a new generation of European superstars.

Much of the talk, naturally enough, has centred on Lee Westwood and, certainly, he is one of the rising talents in world golf. Yet, Ignacio Garrido, the son of a famous father, Antonio, who played with Seve Ballesteros on the first European team in the Ryder Cup at Greenbrier in 1979, travelled home to Madrid yesterday with a list of new admirers.

He's not short on confidence either. In the run-up to the match, Ballesteros asked all 12 players how many matches they felt they could play in. Garrido said "all five". Seve could only shake his head at the exuberance of youth, perhaps remembering his own ambitions. "I knew he was fit enough to play that number, but it was his first time in the Ryder Cup. I wasn't sure he could play all five because he was a rookie," said Ballesteros.

In the Swiss Alps, in Crans-sur-Sierre last month, Ballesteros had to have a heart-to-heart with Garrido. At a time when the Miguel Angel Martin affair threatened to cast a cloud over Europe's preparations, Garrido wasn't afraid to side with Martin. It showed a tough inner streak, especially for a 25-yearold. The two Spaniards talked about the matter, put their respective sides, agreed to differ, and that was the end of it.

Garrido, an exponent of tae kwondo, sauntered through his debut Ryder Cup with remarkable ease. He played four matches and lost only one - his singles, to Tom Lehman. "The support I had from the other players, especially the more experienced ones, was fantastic," said Garrido. "They helped the younger players feel like seasoned experts."

The Garridos became just the second father and son combination to play in the Ryder Cup, emulating the feat of Percy and Peter Alliss. The presence of Antonio, who walked every shot with his son, made it all the more special.

As a teenager, Ignacio caddied for his father. He always wanted to become a professional golfer. The first hint of his potential surfaced at an amateur tournament in England, back in 1992. Garrido, on leave from national service in the Spanish army, paid a flying visit to the event and romped home by nine shots. He turned professional in 1993, and hasn't looked back since.

This season, Garrido - who'd finished runner-up in the Spanish and Austrian Opens in 1995 - secured his first win on the European Tour, winning the German Open. The £116,660 cheque effectively guaranteed his place on the European Ryder Cup team.

His star rose even higher in Valderrama. Jesper Parnevik, who made an unlikely alliance with the young Spaniard, said: "I was very impressed with `Nacho.' His first Ryder Cup - and in Spain too - and I couldn't believe how calm he was. He is a very solid iron player. His only weakness is perhaps his driving, but I'd suggest his iron play is as good as anyone in the world."

Tom Lehman concurred. In Saturday's fourball match, Lehman watched his partner Phil Mickelson find the 17th green with a superb two-iron approach out of rough. "That was probably the best shot I've ever seen in my life," said Lehman, "but the second best shot I've ever witnessed came at the same hole where Garrido played the most exquisite bunker shot. To be able to get the ball on the lower level, without having it go into the water or leaving it short on the top, and then get it down for birdie, was phenomenal."

There were times Garrido looked as if he could walk on water. Playing in Spain gave him all the inspiration he required. "The atmosphere was something I can't quite explain, it couldn't be written, neither could it be read. It's something that has to be experienced. I could have played 100 holes and not felt tired, the spectators carried me along in their arms.

"It has been a marvellous experience. And what can I say about Seve? He hasn't been so much a captain as a father. Every time I was thinking, `what can I do here?', Seve would appear out of nowhere and tell you what to do. A lot of the shots I played over the weekend were his - I just put my hands on the clubs."