BBC Sportgolf

Country: Spain
Age: 28
Caps: 4 (1999, 2002, 2004, 2006)
Ryder Cup record: W14 L4 H2

The livewire Spaniard is fast becoming a legendary figure in Ryder Cup circles.

He was Europe's youngest player at the age of 19 and has a success rate of 75% from his 20 matches. The competition sparks a burning pit of desire, passion and energy in Garcia and he becomes an inspirational presence for playing partners, team-mates and fans.

Padraig Harrington may have pipped him to the Open at Carnoustie in 2006 and the USPGA in August, but Garcia will lock that firmly in the past and give his heart and soul for the Irishman and the rest of the European side.

"He's just a big laugh to be around," says Robert Karlsson, who was one of Garcia's team-mates in 2006. "He's a big heap of energy swirling around the room."

Garcia and Lee Westwood have been the top European points scorers for the last two events, and he just missed out on becoming the first player to complete a clean sweep of five points from five matches when he lost in the singles at the K Club two years ago.

His defeat by Stewart Cink - Garcia's work had been done by then - took his singles record to a rather less impressive played four, won one, lost three.

But victory in the prestigious Players Championship in May and runner-up at the USPGA have lifted Garcia to fourth in the world rankings.

And, though, his lack of major success still mars his CV, his form, coupled with his general Ryder Cup record, makes "El Nino" one of the last players the Americans will want to be drawn against.

"I just love the Ryder Cup," says Garcia. "I could not live without it. It's amazing. I'm just very lucky, I get really good team-mates and I just go out there and help them a little bit and that's how it works."