Garcia right at home in Texas tournaments

Sergio Garcia had a long history with Texas even before he became a parttime resident.

He made his PGA Tour debut as a pro in 1999 at the Byron Nelson Classic and caused an immediate sensation with the gallery outside Dallas when he made eight birdies in 15 holes and had a chance for a 59 when he had a 4-iron into the par-5 16th hole. He finished par-par-bogey for a 62 and tied for third that week.

Two years later, the Spaniard won his first PGA Tour event at Colonial, the first of three victories in the Lone Star State.

Now, the connection extends to family. He married Angela Akins last summer, and he’s based out of the Austin area when he’s playing in America. That’s where he was last week for a family gathering of both parents and plenty of doting on Azalea, their 5-week-old daughter.

“Changed a lot of nappies,” Garcia said. “We went to the ranch a couple of times. We practiced a little bit with my dad. I played a member-member at Austin Golf Club with Ben Crenshaw — we managed to win it, too. So just kind of kept myself busy.”

Garcia also has a connection to the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.

He was the consultant to Greg Norman in designing the AT&T Oaks Course at the TPC San Antonio, which will be used for the ninth straight year at the Texas Open.

Now he’s back to compete against a field that includes Adam Scott, Ernie Els and defending champion Kevin Chappell. Also in the field is Joaquin Niemann of Chile, the No. 1 amateur in the world who makes his pro debut this week at 19 — the same as Garcia when the Spaniard turned pro.

“It doesn’t feel that long ago I was in that situation, and I was looking up to my idols and my role models in golf and trying to learn anything I could from them,” Garcia said. “So it is fun, and it’s an honor, to be in the other side of a situation. He’s a great kid. Obviously, he’s got a lot of talent. I think he can do a lot of beautiful things out there on the golf course.” LI, LEE SELECTED FOR CURTIS CUP >> Four years after Redwood City’s Lucy Li qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open at age 11, the Bay Area golfer is headed to her first Curtis Cup matches. Li, along with Stanford sophomore Andrea Lee, were among eight women selected for the June 8-10 matches against amateurs from Britain and Ireland at Quaker Ridge in New York. Li is the first 15-yearold to make the American team since Lexi Thompson in 2010. Lee played in the most recent Curtis Cup, which Britain & Ireland won in Ireland. NOTABLE >> Ted Potter Jr. tied for 16th in the RBC Heritage, notable because he had missed his past five cuts dating to his victory at Pebble Beach. … Satoshi Kodaira was the first player without PGA Tour status to win a regular PGA Tour event since Arjun Atwal at the Wyndham Championship in 2010.