John O'Sullivan watched Spain's Sergio Garcia set a new course record 62 which was later equalled by Retief Goosen

The ovation was thunderous, deservedly so as Sergio Garcia strode to the periphery of the home green at Mount Juliet yesterday. He had just hit a wonderful second shot to the 18th green that had come to rest just six feet past the pin. One final assured touch and he would guarantee a 61, the lowest round of his young life.

Having stalked the putt from all sides, he settled into his stance, only to step away, unsure, and once again search out the line. The wait was intolerable for the onlookers. Garcia re-addressed the putt but as soon as he had made contact he was up and walking, aware that the ball was going to miss the hole, left.

Furious he walked to the edge of the green, allowing playing partner Nick Price to tap-in, bringing their round to a conclusion. There was some consolation for the Spaniard, lowering the previous course record of 64 by two shots - even that pleasure was transitory as South African Retief Goosen would later equal Garcia's 62.

The Spaniard tried to put his round in context and was adamant that it had not extended him unduly. "That was the easiest 62 I have ever shot in my life and probably the easiest I will ever shoot. This one was in the top two after Loch Lomond (1999) I would say."

Inevitably the spectre of the Ryder Cup loomed, Garcia trying to downplay the fact that he had shot 62 in his final competitive round before the event begins on Friday. "Even if I had not shot the 62 today I would have been happy with my form going into this week. Unfortunately I hit a couple of bad shots over the back nine on a couple of the days and that cost me quite a lot. I am happy the way I have played and if I could have kept the errors off my card as I did today then it would have been a different story.

"The atmosphere and energy inside you changes for a Ryder Cup. In the Ryder Cup you try extra hard to play well." The possibility that Garcia and Tiger Woods, the young turks of the respective teams at The Belfry this week could be drawn together was a prospect that whetted the appetite of the media.

Garcia was more circumspect. "If me beating Tiger on Sunday means winning the Ryder Cup, then I'm looking forward to it. If I am playing against Tiger and lose, and that means we win the Ryder Cup back, then I don't mind losing. It is a team event and you have to try hard for your team.

"I don't think that it just comes down to that match. If I play against him, great; if I beat him, it will be better. The most important thing is to win the Ryder Cup and it doesn't matter who beats who along the way." There was just time for Garcia to reiterate his affection for Ireland and the golf course. "I feel comfortable here. I think the people are great. They really support you. Maybe it is because the first tournament that I won as a pro was in Ireland that I gained confidence from playing here. The course is absolutely wonderful. It would have been nice to play with a little wind, make it a little tougher. That's normally how you play here. With the greens being as good as they were and no wind you could hole putts from all over the place."

The subject of Garcia's successful partnership with Jesper Parnevik in the last Ryder Cup again received an airing, but the Spaniard has no idea if he will renewed the partnership: "I have no idea. That's something for Sam to discuss with the players. Much will obviously depend on how we play in practice and that's really the only time that you will have that indication."

How Sergio Garcia broke the course record with a 62

5th, par five, 552 yards: drive, three-wood, wedge, two-foot putt.

7th, par four, 436 yards: drive, eight-iron, five-foot putt.

8th, par five, 605 yards: drive, six-iron, lob wedge, six-foot putt.

9th, par four, 424 yards: drive, nine-iron, seven-foot putt.

10th, par five, 562 yards: drive, three-iron, 17 feet, two putts.

12th, par four, 435 yards: drive, nine-iron, 1½-foot putt.

14th, par three, 197 yards: six-iron, 11-foot putt.

16th: par four, 452 yards: drive, seven-iron, 22-foot putt.

17th: par five, 534 yards: drive, two-iron, wedge into hole from fringe.