On January 9, 1980, in the small town of Borriol on Spain’s east coast, Europe’s all-time leading points scorer was born – Sergio Garcia.

First swinging a club when he was only three-years-old, who knew the Spaniard would become one of the great European Ryder Cup players?

Garcia became Europe’s all-time leading points scorer at The 2018 Ryder Cup, with 21½ points, after winning three of the four matches he was involved in.

Once again, Garcia proved he is the man for the big occasion.

The first of his three victories at Le Golf National came in the Friday afternoon foursomes matches where he and rookie Alex Noren comfortably dispatched Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson, 5&4.

The 40-year-old would then make it two wins from two after a 2&1 victory in a tight fourball match alongside Rory McIlroy against Team USA’s Brooks Koepka and Tony Finau on Saturday morning.

However, the history-making moment came in Garcia’s 41st Ryder Cup match in the Sunday singles matches.

Cue emotional scenes on the 17th green.

When Fowler couldn’t hole a 25ft putt to keep the match going, Garcia burst into tears before being embraced by his wife Angela.

History had been made.

You could argue there were early signs that we had a Ryder Cup legend on our hands when you consider the Spaniard’s debut some 21 years ago at The 1999 Ryder Cup, where he picked up 3½ points from a possible five.

After that, Garcia would go on to feature in the 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2016 and, of course, the 2018 editions of The Ryder Cup.

Outside of The Ryder Cup, though, Garcia has enjoyed a stellar career.

Making his first cut on the European Tour at the age of just 15-years-old, the prodigy would turn pro three years later and quickly found his place among the very best.

His first professional victory camee at the Murphy’s Irish Open in 1999 on the European Tour and to date, he has gone on to win a further 34 tournaments around the world.

The Spaniard’s most famous victory, however, came at the 2017 Masters Tournament.

Having come so close to tasting Major success on numerous occasions, Garcia delighted golfing fans around the world with an emotional play-off victory over England’s Justin Rose.

In 2020, Garcia will bidto make it five consecutive years with at least one victory and, more importantly, look to make Padraig Harrington’s European side at The 2020 Ryder Cup hosted at Whistling Straits, USA.

If he was to do so, Garcia would hold the rare feat of playing The Ryder Cup in four different decades.

Feliz cumpleaños, Sergio!