Ryder Cup Watch

Last September, I drew up a list of the teams I thought would face off at Celtic Manor this October for the Ryder Cup. Having found the lists in an untroubled drawer, they make interesting reading, with only 3 months of qualification left. We'll get to the Americans next week, but let's have a look at who I thought Monty would have on the first tee in Wales.

Padraig Harrington

Lee Westwood

Robert Karlsson

Henrik Stenson

Paul Casey

Ian Poulter

Graeme McDowell

Rory McIlroy

Sergio Garcia

Ross Fisher

Martin Kaymer

Alvaro Quiros

Of Nick Faldo's team, I'd decided that Justin Rose, Soren Hansen, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Oliver Wilson would fail to reappear. Despite Miguel's win in the Gulf earlier this year, I'll stick by that decision. As for my 12 players - I'm happy with most of them, but there are a couple who look a little bit wobbly. What's more, there are guys not on that list who've mounted a charge.

The most obvious absence is Luke Donald, in the light of his performances over the last few weeks. Donald has had a great season, with a few solid finishes Stateside, before returning to Europe and collecting a 2nd place and then a win. His triumph on Sunday has hopefully silenced those who doubted his killer instinct. The pressure was on after his late, late disaster in Wentworth the week before, and he proved himself up to the task. He now looks set to be on the bus to Wales in the autumn, and with a record like his (5 1/2 out of 7), Monty will be delighted.

Donald is such a steady player that he suits the format perfectly - he'll keep a foursomes game chugging along, and can be the reliable player in a fourball to allow his partner burn it up.

Donald has a 4/4 record in the foursome matches, all played with Sergio Garcia.

Sergio's the man over whom the biggest question mark floats. He's had a lousy time of it. He won in the Orient in December 2008, and since then he's fallen off the radar. His mental game's shot, and his putting's still useless. Surely that makes it easy - he won't qualify, and he doesn't deserve a pick. Not quite.

Sergio's always seemed able to turn it on in the Ryder Cup. He's brilliant in the team matches, whether with Jesper Parnevik or Luke Donald. After missing every putt for months beforehand, suddenly they all roll in. He's a firey, energetic player, and you need a couple of them in your locker room.

When he fails to qualify, there'll be a lot of chat about the picks. Can Monty afford to give him one. If he shows any form at all in the summer he'll get one - he's got a couple of majors and a WGC to go at in the last 6 weeks. Without that justification though, it'd be a brave captain to choose him.

What about the Swedes? I'm still confident Karlsson will make it - he's got a win this year and he showed in Wentworth that his game's on the mend. He needs a little more consistency, but I see him challenging strongly at the Open this year, and I think he'll qualify.

Stenson is a trickier one - he's been out of form since winning the Players last May, and he's shown no signs of coming back. Unless he mounts a charge in the summer, he ca kiss his chance goodbye.

The man who might well jump into his shoes is Wales' one shot at a home boy. Rhys Davies has showed his talent this year, with a win in Morocco and a couple of runner-up spots. He's a good ball-striker, a wonderful putter, and has the grit that'll be oh so important come Ryder Cup Sunday. The way he's playing at the moment, he might make it on merit, but he'll certainly be at the front of Monty's mind.

Apologies to Simon Dyson and Ross McGowan, but I think they'll drop off the automatic spots pretty soon. One man who won't go away so easily is Francesco Molinari - he showed his team play with big brother Edoardo in the World Cup, and both bros are pushing for spots. Francesco's playing in Wales this weekend, and I fancy him to finish at least top-5.

So there you go. Really, I've no idea of what's going to happen. If I had to cut three from my list, it'd be the Swedes and Sergio. Ross Fisher has work to do, but he strikes me as a guy who makes most of his money in the summer months.

The team's going to have a mix of talents - steady grinding, scrambling, raw talent, big hitting, and deft touches.

One thing's for sure - it'll be a team bursting with quality.

He's Back

In 2008, European golf was dominated by one man. It wasn't Padraig Harrington, who made the global headlines. Back at home, notching up 10 top-5 finishes before finally winning back-to-back, Swede Robert Karlsson was Mr. Consistency. 2009 was a little different - Lee Westwood took on Karlsson's job, and Karlsson injured his eye. He missed much of the season, and failed to get a rhythm going all year. Anyone who's ever seen him play golf, however, knew it wouldn't last long.

At the end of 2009 Karlsson came second to Edoardo Molinari in a Challenge Tour event in Asia, and for me that heralded his return. Since then he put in a great performance in the World Cup, and heading to Qatar last week you'd be mad to write him off. A man with a temperament and a swing like his doesn't just go away. His health is back to 100%, so start watching the majors.

Sunday's performance was vintage Karlsson. He shot 65, with 7 birdies and no bogeys. His irons, as always when he's playing well, were scarily good. As usual though, the aspect of his game which won him the title was his mind. He just does not rattle. Put Karlsson and Stenson in a Ryder Cup pairing - they may not win, but from 3 or 4 down they won't fuss. They'll just continue along calmly, being tall and talented and Swedish, and play their own game.

Lee Westwood threw all he had at Karlsson on Sunday. He made 4 birdies in 5 holes on the back, including a ticklish birdie on 14 after Karlsson had stitched his to the pin. Karlsson kept his head, and hit fairways and greens. Westwood bogeyed the 16th, and Karlsson birdied 17 and 18. If there's a man you want to put your house on with a lead coming down the stretch look no further.

It was a fine performance from Alvaro Quiros in defence of his crown. He produced three birdies on the spin to finish and grab solo second place. Quiros is one of the most exciting prospects in world golf at the moment, and he's showed he's not scared of the big stage, posting a strong showing at the US PGA last year. He's a man Monty will want in his team for Celtic Manor - he's got fire in his belly and hits it a million yards.

Westwood may have faltered at the end, but we know he's playing the best golf of his career. He's going to win a major very soon, and don't be surprised if he clocks up 4 or 5 wins on Tour this year, which is no mean feat given the talent around today.

It would be wrong not to mention Paul Casey. Coming back from injury last year has been tough for him, but he played three great rounds here before he just had one of those days. Phil Mickelson did the same last night in Torrey Pines - these things happen. Casey isn't too far of his best golf again.

The final event of the Gulf Swing is on in Dubai this week where Rory McIlroy defends the title he so nearly threw away last year, before making a great sand save at the last. There's nothing short of a phenomenal field playing, including Karlsson and Westwood. We should be in for another fantastic tournament, and before we start, I'm going to go for Karlsson - when he gets on a roll he just keeps on rolling like he'll never stop. He's eyes look keen and back to the best - I'm sure they see another victory waiting in Dubai.

On Top Of The World

Every year, the World Cup of golf is an event that has to prove itself. Unaided by some of the world's top players giving it the cold shoulder (no offence to Nick Watney and John Merrick, but they're not quite top of the US tree), there is a tendency to take this tournament less seriously than it deserves. This year, once again, it showed itself to be the great event that it is.

Having said that the top players don't always play, there was no lack of talent this year. McIlroy and McDowell, Karlsson and Stenson, Poulter and Fisher, Garcia and Castano....not a line up to be sniffed at. Of course, no one believes me now when I said I tipped the Italians at the beginning of the week (but I did). Both have shown themselves to be excellent players in the last few years - Francesco winning his home Open in 2006, while Edoardo picked up 3 Challenge Tour titles this season on his way to topping the rankings. Obviously the connection between them is very strong, and they've played a lot of golf together, but I really expected team golf to suit them. Francesco played superb golf in the Vivendi Trophy earlier this autumn, and all this week their excitement and passion was more visible than any other team's.

They've got a lot to do to make it into the running for next year's Ryder Cup, but Colin Montgomerie must be rubbing his hands in glee as he sees another European pairing bringing home the bacon.

They both showed a lot of bottle in the last round. While Ireland and Sweden had their struggles around the turn and early on the back nine, the Italians made their move. Three straight birdies gave them the lead, and they held on to it firmly. In any sport, there's a point in the race/match/etc where the champion ups the pace. Whether it's Haile Gebrselassie, Roger Federer, or Michael Schumacher - they sense the time is right to move up a gear and take advantage. The Molinari brothers showed their nerve in spades on the final hole. A fantastic drive from Francesco still left Edoardo with a hugely intimidating shot, and a slight push put them in trouble in the right-hand bunker. Francesco splashed out to 3 feet, and big brother held his nerve to roll it in, before leaping into the air in true Italian delight. The pressure on that bunker shot was huge, not helped by a gigantic lake behind and the Irish and Swedes breathing down their necks. Each brother played a great last shot on that hole, and next time they're in the running on Sunday afternoon, whether together or on their own, that's what will stand to them.

Ireland and Sweden. Favourites coming into the week, they'll both be remembering missed opportunities, not least at the final hole. Henrik Stenson lipped out from 40 feet to fall one shot short, before Graeme McDowell left his putt from 30 feet an agonising few inches short.

In reality, however, they failed to take their chances earlier in the round, and allowed the Italians to build a lead. 3 bogeys cost Ireland dearly, especially a miss from short range by McIlroy. The Swedes on the other hand just didn't convert birdie chances when they had them.

But to the positives. Rory and G-Mac have sold themselves as a guaranteed team for Celtic Manor in 2010, and Karlsson and Stenson are in the same boat. Karlsson has had a difficult year, battling eye injury for much of the early season and not replicating his Order of Merit-winning form of 2008. He showed good form in Japan last week to finish second (to Edoardo Molinari, ironically) and there can be no doubt that the big man is back for next year.

That finishes up 2009 for the European golfers. 2010 will begin early as always, specifically on 10th December 2009. This season has given us so many remarkable moments, whether it was Rory McIlroy hanging on in Dubai for his maiden title, Angel Cabrera snatching the Masters from the jaws of defeat, Tom Watson living a dream for a week in July, Harrington and Tiger battling through August. It's been a hell of a year, but we couldn't have asked for a better end. The Molinaris have stamped their names on world golf, and they're not going anywhere.

I'll see you next season.

He Came, He Saw, He Faltered, He Bogeyed, He Hit A Decent Bunker Shot...He Conquered

Few 19-year-olds can get away with saying "Thank God I've finally got that over with", after winning their first European Tour title, passing €1.6 million in prize money, and entering the top 16 in the World rankings. However, with Rory McIlroy, it was the natural response. We all felt the same. For the last 8 months, we've all been waiting impatiently for the young Northern Irishman to enter the winner's circle, heads in hands as he came agonisingly close again. On Sunday, the agony was over.

Not, however, as soon as people thought it would be.

With 5 holes to go, McIlroy had a 6-shot lead. Now, I wasn't trying to bore people with clichés, but I honestly did mention fat ladies and their singing. I've seen people lose leads like that before, and with a chasing pack involving Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Justin Rose and Paul Casey anything could happen. And most of it did.

 The bogey on the 15th - maybe he shouldn't have gone at the flag on the tricky par-3, but I don't believe in playing defensive golf on the back nine on Sunday. It just leads to tightening up. He was striking the ball well; he had to continue the way he was. It's a bogey. It happens.

 The next bogey obviously meant things were wobbling, but the fact that it involved a gutsy 5-footer for the 5 was important. Much like Alvaro Quiros in Qatar last week, he made a bogey which would have felt like a save. 

The last bogey was just bad. 

18th tee - McIlroy's driving had been great all week, and he ripped one down last. He immediately had the advantage, as he could see what ROse decided to play, one stroke behind. In the end, they both hit poor lay-up shots. I don't care if he said it was a perfect lay-up - it wasn't. You don't want a 70-yard wedge in over water on a green sloping back towards the hazard; you want a full shot. 

In the end, he made the best up-and-down of his young career to take the title. Had Rose rolled in his 15-footer to force the playoff...well, we won't think about that. I'm worried I know what would have happened.

Of course it's nice to win a title with a stroll down the last, waving to the crowds. However, the fact that McIlroy hung in there and won it with a bunker shot and 3-footer is so much the better. That's an experience he's going to have to rely on in the future, whether he's in the same position or if he's stepped into Rose's shoes. The first win may be the hardest, but when it's even harder than it should be, it's a great extra club in the bag.

Karlsson, Casey, Stenson and Rose all showed their class once again; they'll all be picking up another win soon enough.

Frustration story of the week was Sergio Garcia. On so many he'd nail his drive, hit an iron in to within 12 feet, and miss the putt. He didn't sink a thing, and finished in the top 15. His putting has always been his weak point, occasionally getting hot when he wins a title, but if he's going to accept the burden he faces now to take a few majors, he has to sort it out. It's easy to say and very difficult to do. The only way to sort it is to hole putts, and get your confidence back.

What was the key to the win? Temperament was important on the last hole, but the difference between McIlroy this week and McIlroy for the last 16 months was his putting. I've said it before - his short putting is very good, but he didn't hole enough middle-distance putts. He did in Dubai. And once they start going in, they only get easier. 

He won't have to remember the putt he missed in the Alps in September to gift-wrap the European Masters to Jean-Francois Lucquin. He'll just remember that putt yesterday evening in the desert, to kick-start the next stage in his career.

A Man For All Seasons

P.G. Wodehouse, in The Letter of the Law, admitted that for all its grand-sounding name, the President's Cup at the Oldest Member's club ranked somewhere between the Grandmothers' Umbrella Competition and the Infants' All-Day Sucker (open to those not yet having finished teething).

 The World Cup. Those words invoke strong emotions, whether thinking about Pickles finding the Jules Rimet Trophy in 1966, Diego annoying Terry in 1986, or, for the Irish, David O'Leary in 1990 and Ray Houghton in 1994.

 The World Cup of Golf. While this name may not curry as much favour with TV fans, it still sounds impressive. However, if you expected Adam Scott and Robert Allenby to be teeing up against Phil Mickelson and Anthony Kim, think again. You'll be watching Brandt Snedeker and Brendan Jones. Top players will play the World Cup a couple of times at the beginning, and then get on with their own game. 

And so the World Cup goes largely ignored by a large proportion of the golfing population. This year, however, we were treated to a magnificent display of golf that can only help what should be a wonderful event. Will Tiger Woods and Padraig Harrington ever play in it again? Probably not. But that doesn't mean it can't be a top-class event.

 Sergio's avoidance of the week meant a start for young Pablo Larrazabal, one of the brightest sparks on the European Tour. He teamed up with the legend that is Miguel Angel Jimenez, and they put on a display that will have the 2010 Ryder Cup Captain rubbing his hands with glee. Despite a disappointing final day, they played superb, passionate golf, and almost single-handedly made it a tournament worth watching.

 Other countries had great showings as well. Martin Kaymer and Alex Cejka were a fancied team at the beginning of the week, and lived up to the expectations until a 73 today ended their hopes. Australia shot themselves out of contention on Sunday too, but Brendan Jones and Richard Green showed themselves to be quite a pairing.

However.

During the Ryder Cup, two tall Swedish men were paired together. As European heads were in hands (mine included), the one claim I stuck to was that if you have a couple of Swedes together, it doesn't matter if they're 2 or 3 down. They'll just calmly keep on playing, won't get hassled, and will do the business.

 Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson are two of the best players in the world today. Karlsson has had a busy year - top 10s in three majors, two victories, eight other top 10s, and an Order of Merit title. He's played the best golf of his life throughout the spring, summer, and autumn. Time for a winter break? Not at all! Get Henrik and we'll play a few games of golf!

They played wonderful golf all week, shooting 65-67-66-63, and justifying their status as pre-tournament favourites. Admittedly, their closest challengers helped them on the final day, but they did what they did best - calmly walked around, ignoring what other guys are doing, and getting on with business.

 Of course it's a different format, but this performance only accentuates what we've been saying for the last few months - one of these boys will have a major by the next Ryder Cup.

The Race to Dubai travelled to Australia this week, and Rod Pampling and Marcus Fraser set up a playoff for the home crowds to enjoy. The experienced Rod came out on top, but Fraser certainly showed signs of wanting to build on his steady 2008 season in the New Year.

Robert Allenby let me down again with a final day 73 - he's declared an intention to play in the Race to Dubai this year, and we're delighted to have him. However, if he's going to start winning again, he's got to start holing putts to supplement his magnificent iron-play. If he'd holed a handful more putts during the last year, he'd have been a multiple winner in America.

The Race has a week off now, before heading to Leopard Creek for the Alfred Dunhill Championship, where Lee Westwood will be looking to get his campaign off to a winning start.

There is golf this week though, with the Nedbank Challenge at Sun City. Trevor Immelman is defending champion, and will be joined by 11 other top players from around the world, including Sergio, Westwood, and those two Swedes again. I think I'm going to go with Stenson for the victory - he won't want 2008 going by without a win and the World Cup will have him confident.

Apologies to those of you who have visited over the last two weeks expecting up-to-the-minute self-satisfied over-opinionated twaddle, only to find that I was holding my peace (that's a self-satisfied phrase right there). Such a delay will not occur again. In the interim, Rory McIlroy narrowly missed out on a maiden victory in a playoff to Wen-Tang Lin, but I'm confident that young McIlroy will have a win under his belt by the end of the winter (which I, being Irish, extend to at least the end of February).

All the best. Take care.