Golf: Woosnam sounds warning to Europeans

DUBLIN - A quick scan down the start sheet here will confirm that the European Tour's superstars are plying their trade anywhere but the European Open this week.

No Sergio Garcia, no Luke Donald, no Justin Rose, no Bernhard Langer, no Jesper Parnevik.

If the list isn't quite endless it's still mighty depressing, if only because in the ever-widening shadow of America's PGA Tour there's not a lot to be done.

Until now. Ian Woosnam was supposed to be at the K Club yesterday simply to reveal that County Louth's Des Smyth and Staffordshire's Peter Baker will be his vice-captains when the Ryder Cup comes calling next September.

But with one stern sentence, Europe's captain may just have ensured a few players come rushing back to their native tour - if only occasionally.

"They have got to accept their fate if they don't support the European Tour," said the 47-year-old. "If they're desperate to play in the Ryder Cup then I'm sure they'll make the right decision."

Otherwise, Woosnam will be forced to. With the world rankings now being used to select five of his 12-strong team, it is unlikely that a Garcia or a Donald would not earn automatic berths, but any other American-based European should expect no favours.

His dilemma was in marked contrast to Tom Lehman's. The US captain is stealing a preview peek here in a field that includes Retief Goosen and the new US Open champion, Michael Campbell. It's not who will play that is bothering Lehman but who plays with whom.

"Will I be pairing Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson?" said Lehman, when asked to reflect on the disastrous partnership in last year's Oakland Hills humiliation.

"Let's just say I would probably have to have those guys come to me and say we want a second chance before I did that."

- INDEPENDENT