Garcia supports embattled Ryder Cup captain Faldo

By Mark Lamport-Stokes

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Sergio Garcia leapt to the defence of unsuccessful European Ryder Cup captain Nick Faldo on Saturday, describing harsh criticism of the Englishman in newspapers this week as horrendous.

Under Faldo's captaincy, Europe suffered their first Cup defeat in nine years with a 16-1/2 to 11-1/2 loss to the United States at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky last week.

"I think it's horrendous," Spaniard Garcia, 28, told reporters after charging three strokes clear in the third round of the Tour Championship.

"Fortunately, it happens only once every two years in golf but it happens all the time in football back at home. When a team loses, it's always the coach's fault.

"They never pick on the players like they should or give enough credit to the other team like they should."

Going into the last-day singles matches at Valhalla, Europe trailed the Americans 9-7 and Faldo was taken to task over his decision to send out his big guns at the bottom of the order.

EUROPE OUTPLAYED

Cup veterans Lee Westwood and Padraig Harrington lost their respective encounters long after the U.S. had clinched the trophy for the first time since their Brookline win in 1999.