• Ryder Cup 2012

Garcia desperate to make Olazabal's Ryder Cup team

Sergio Garcia is desperate to play his way onto Jose Maria Olazabal's team © Getty Images

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• Profile: Sergio Garcia

Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal is confident fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia will qualify for Europe's team for Medinah in 2012.

Garcia, 31, missed the 2010 iteration of the event at Celtic Manor as a player for the first time in 11 years as a result of a severe deterioration in form after he fell out of love with the game. But he has shown an upturn in results in 2011 - particular with his performances in the year's major championships - and Olazabal expects him to play his way onto the 12-man team for Chicago next September.

"I am sure that Sergio will be in the Ryder Cup," Olazabal said. "He's got a special charisma and a solid game. He helps the team and he needs to enjoy himself on the course.

"His best motivation is to know what it feels like to be in the Ryder Cup without playing."

Garcia - who is the host of this week's Castello Masters - was present for the three days in Wales as one of Colin Montgomerie's vice-captains, but that is not a role he is prepared to re-visit in future.

"Unless I go as captain I won't go back to the Ryder Cup if I'm not playing," said Garcia, whose appearance this week is only his third in Europe all season.

"Without a doubt the Ryder Cup is one of my goals next year. I want to make it - I don't want to be chosen and leave that pick to the captain.

"Everyone knows how special the Ryder Cup is for me. As Jose Maria said, I know what it's like to be there without playing and I don't want to repeat the experience.

"If things go as well as they have this year I feel I have a very good chance.

"I'm feeling much more confident about my game. What I'm feeling right now is very different to what I was feeling before.

"Last year I was here physically, but not mentally. I tried hard, but my mind wasn't where it needed to be. Now I feel like I am ready to fight, even if things don't go as planned."

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