Sergio Garcia is the best Ryder Cup partner of the modern era, including both sides. His record in the four-balls and foursomes matches is unparalleled in history. And that even includes his Spanish countrymen, Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal, who as partners combined to lose just twice in 15 matches for an amazing record of 11-2-2.

In the past four events for which he has been eligible, Garcia has played in every session and compiled an unfathomable record of 13-1-2 as a partner. In those sixteen matches with four different partners, he’s tasted defeat just once and that was by a single hole to Tiger Woods & Davis Love back in 2002. Let that sink in for a minute. They haven’t invented words yet for how good that is.

The only way to combat that sort of brilliance is to find the anti-Sergio. And the Americans just may have him this time around in the person of Anthony Kim. The two are actually buddies and share many of the same characteristics: bold, brash and full of life, both on and off the course. Kim is at the end of his coming-out year on the PGA Tour, having had two wins and five other top tens in just 21 events. We’ll have to wait and see if that can translate into anything resembling what the still-young Spaniard is likely to do, both in results and by way of inspiration.

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