SERGIO finds trouble in the trees

TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ Sergio Garcia fell off the leaderboard with a thud Sunday. <br><br>Garcia began the day 4 under and in fourth place but soon found himself playing pinball in the trees. He made six

Monday, June 18th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) _ Sergio Garcia fell off the leaderboard with a thud Sunday.

Garcia began the day 4 under and in fourth place but soon found himself playing pinball in the trees. He made six bogeys and a double-bogey to finish 7 over for the day. His 3-over 283 landed him in a four-way tie for 12th place.

Garcia's round began to unravel with his drive on the second hole.

``I thought I hit a tree, but they said I hit somebody, and the ball _ it could have gone left, but it went way right into the trees,'' he said. ``And then I hit it over the tree and then I hit a little branch, and I hit it right again.''

On No. 5, his drive bounced in the middle of the fairway and then rolled into a bunker.

``If it goes the other way, I par No. 2 and maybe birdie No. 5 and it's three shots better,'' he said. ``It's those little things that you need to have in a major this week.''

The 21-year-old returns to Castellon, Spain, counting the Open as good experience.

``It's hard because I wanted to win,'' he said. ``You learn things. You learn how to handle yourself in a major on the last day and be there if you play half-decent.''