Angela Garcia on watching Sergio play, her competitive past and her new gig

Angela Garcia played college golf at the University of Texas and worked for the Golf Channel, among other outlets. In 2017, she married Sergio Garcia and the couple is expecting their first child in March 2018. Angela and I spoke on Sergio’s 38th birthday when she took some time away from planning Sergio’s surprise birthday dinner to chat with me about golf, what's next in her career and how stressful it is to watch Sergio play.

You played golf in college at the University of Texas. How do you think your experience watching a tournament is different from other wives and girlfriends who haven’t played competitively?

I walk around at events with other wives and girlfriends and everyone is different. Some know a lot about golf, some have played another sport and some don’t know much about golf. Having played at the level I played at, it gives us a good relationship where Sergio can talk to me about things. After the round I just listen and give feedback when he asks for it. He appreciates that we can have those conversations that not everyone can. He’ll talk to me about why he made a decision on a hole or if he played a shot the way he did and he'll tell me about the incredible shots that he hit. Sometimes it’s the mental side that we'll talk about. Mentally I was raised to be – growing up in athletics and academics – to try to be the best. My parents didn't raise me to think about beating everyone else, it was just to be the best yourself and to rise to your full potential, so Sergio and I will talk about things like that.

Do you get nervous when you watch him play in tournaments?

I do get nervous, but I try to keep my emotions in check. When he’s in contention and when he’s playing really well, it’s hard to not be nervous. Having played golf myself, I kind of live and breathe every shot with him. I don’t get too nervous because he’s so good. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get nervous at all. Thursdays and Fridays aren’t bad, but Sundays when he’s in contention are different.

Do you get to play much golf now?

I don’t play very often. This year has been really really busy. I’ve played less this year and I miss it. We played a few weeks ago. I actually played pretty well. If I went back out it might be different. I love to play, but I get my fill of golf by watching it so often. Sometimes people ask me if I can beat Sergio, and it cracks me up. Obviously I can’t. I’d be out playing professionally if I could.

Related: Sergio Garcia and Angela Akins' wedding looked like a lot of fun

We're competitive with each other. I played basketball in high school - it was my favorite sport, but I tore my ACL my senior year of high school so that's why I ended up playing golf in college. Sergio and I played basketball together when we first started dating. He could play a bit, but he's gotten pretty good. He can't hang with me one-on-one, but he can win a game of horse. We have fun, both of us being competitive.

This past year, a lot of people have been saying that you're a big reason why Sergio's had a breakthrough season. Why do you think he's playing so well, twenty years into his career?

I don’t know what to attribute it to, but the Sergio people are starting to see on the course is the Sergio that I see off the course: That light-hearted, fun caring guy who lets things be and takes them as they come. He’s gotten to be so good at that on the course lately. You see his true personality. And that’s why I think he’s played so well recently.

You've got a new project taking off in 2018, can you tell us about it?

Hally Leadbetter (David Leadbetter's daughter) and I have started a new show on Sirius XM that we’re extremely excited about, Garcia and Leadbetter Remixed. We’ve done a few episodes and we’re getting ready to kick things up in 2018. We have some great guests already lined up. My background is in TV, I studied broadcast journalism at U.T. and then worked for Fox Sports, did an internship at ESPN, I’ve worked at Golf Channel and NBC, so this show is a great to use my journalism training. I love radio. Honestly, I like it as a medium more than TV. I just think it’s a great way to get across to listeners, they’re hanging on your every word. I got into journalism because I like to write and I like the story telling aspect of it and this is a great way to do that.

What are you most excited about for your show?

We have some amazing guests lined up. There are a lot of great golfers, we’re also exited to get some people on who aren’t professional golfers but love golf. We're working on some people who are singers and actors and athletes. I'm excited that it's a show hosted by two women. Hally and I have really good chemistry, we’re very similar in that we're both women who know golf really well who played at a high level, we both have backgrounds and family who are the best at what they do in golf. But we bring a difference in perspective, she’s fresh out of college and I’ve been working in the industry for 12 years.