Sergio Garcia tells Tiger Woods: You don’t scare me

Sergio Garcia, left, and Tiger Woods, right, have clashed over the years (Getty)

So Tiger Woods doesn’t want to make friends. That’s just fine with Sergio Garcia, who underscored the enmity between them at Wentworth after Woods said in America that he was not interested in any reconciliation.

He called me a whiner,” Garcia said. “That’s probably right. It’s also probably the first thing he’s told you guys that’s true in 15 years. I know what he is like. You guys are finding out.”

Woods was asked at an AT&T National Championship press conference if he would call Garcia to clear the air after their spat at the Players Championship at Sawgrass a fortnight ago. Woods wasted few words on his reply. “No,” he said.

Garcia, speaking at an event hosted by his sponsors TaylorMade and Adidas ahead of this week’s BMW PGA Championship, was asked if he would phone Woods. “First of all I don’t have his number and, secondly, I did nothing wrong and don’t have anything to say to him. And he wouldn’t pick up the phone anyway.”

The chemistry between the pair has never been great since the teenage Garcia emerged as a box office threat to Woods 14 years ago at the US PGA, bending a shot around a tree at Medinah and bounding up the fairway after it.

Then there was the “smashing of Tweetie Pie” text after Woods brushed aside the challenge of a yellow- shirted Garcia at Hoylake seven years ago. At Sawgrass, Garcia accused Woods of gamesmanship by drawing his club from the bag as he was about to play on the second hole of their third round. Garcia admitted he did not enjoy Woods’ company on or off the course and said “he is not the most popular guy on tour”.

Garcia is back among his own at the headquarters of the European Tour at a flagship event that features a full complement of Ryder Cup players. During a mock Question of Sport quiz to set the promotional ball rolling Garcia was given a huge ovation as he led his team on to the stage and there was no sign that he is losing any sleep over the Woods contretemps.

“He doesn’t make a difference to my life and I know I don’t make a difference to his life. This is not just one thing. This has been going on for a long time.

“The problem is I’m one of the guys that has to say something. A lot of people think about it but don’t want to say anything. He can and will beat me a lot of times but he is not going to step on me. I’m not afraid of him.”