How valuable is experience at the Masters? Sergio Garcia will be glad to explain.

As a rookie in 1999, the Spaniard sized up a 10-foot putt on the 17th hole in the third round. ``I thought, `It doesn't look very fast,'?'' Garcia recalled Wednesday. ``In a normal game, that ball would have gone four or five feet.''

At Augusta, the ball and a golden birdie opportunity skittered eight feet past the hole. It was that harrowing experience that afforded the 20-year-old Garcia valuable perspective entering his second Masters.

``You learn some things of last year and of playing the course,'' he said.

This year has indeed been a learning experience for Garcia, who has endured unforeseen struggles in his first year as a professional.

After several dazzling displays in 1999 - including a second-place finish in the PGA Championship and a 62 in the first round of his first tour event at the Byron Nelson Classic - Garcia has faltered this year, missing the cut in The Players Championship and the Phoenix Open. His best finish was a tie for ninth at the Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship.

Moreover, Garcia has suffered considerable difficulties in selecting the right caddie. He hired the prominent Fanny Sunesson with the Masters in mind, but he fired her recently in favor of Glen Murray. Garcia has employed three caddies since he turned professional.

Garcia said it would have taken six or seven months for him to become acclimated to Sunesson, who carried Nick Faldo's bag in two of his three Masters victories.

``Everything didn't work, because my relationship with Fanny didn't work as good as we would have liked,'' said Garcia, who finished tied for 38th in last year's Masters and was the low amateur. ``She wasn't happy and I wasn't happy. If I'm not happy on the golf course, I usually don't play my golf.''

Garcia, who fired Jerry Higginbotham after the Ryder Cup in September, said difficulties with club selection precipitated the change.

``I didn't want to lose six or seven months of my year because of waiting to get used to her and her to me,'' he said.

It didn't take that long with Murray, who Garcia said, ``makes me laugh a lot, and that's one thing I really like.''

Though his popularity reached Tiger-like proportions after his second-place finish to Woods in the PGA Championship in August, Garcia said he made a concerted effort to remain grounded off the course.

``I just try to do the same things I used to do,'' said Garcia, who lives in Borriol, Spain. ``I try to go to the movies once in a while and go out to dinner and just try to enjoy it.''

On the course, there was talk that Garcia experienced burnout after playing 14 tournaments in 16 weeks to close out last season. But he says that he is rejuvenated now, confident in his swing and patient that his time will come again.

``You have to realize I'm still very young,'' he said. ``I'm still 20. There's still a lot of time.''

Garcia said he's benefited from not being the center of attention. The spotlight shifted to Australian Aaron Baddeley, the first amateur to receive a special invitation to the Masters in 25 years.

``I think it always helps,'' Garcia said, ``because people are not thinking so much about you, and you kind of relax a little.''