Bjorn Apologizes, It Was The Disease Talking

Ah, had to apologize so soon! Bjorn couldn't even wait a few days so we could enjoy the bickering. Disappointing.

Lawrence Donegan has the details:

The small band of critics who believe Ian Woosnam is not up to the job of captaining Europe's Ryder Cup team lost their outspoken leader yesterday when Thomas Bjorn, who on Sunday described the Welshman as "pathetic" and "barmy", issued a grovelling public apology. It cut little ice with the European Tour, who fined the Dane a five-figure sum for his "unacceptable" outburst.

"Having had a day to reflect on my comments, I realise I have made a mistake and, as such, have unreservedly apologised to Ian for my comments, which were made in the heat of the moment following the disappointment of not making it on to the European team," said Bjorn.

Bjorn, who has played in two Ryder Cups and was a vice-captain to Bernhard Langer at the 2004 event in Detroit, has a reputation for being one of the more combustible members on the European Tour. "I am a passionate guy who believes that the Ryder Cup is one of the world's greatest sporting events and I was desperately disappointed not to make it into the team," he said yesterday. "I realise that it is 100% the captain's choice and in Lee and Darren I believe he has picked two great players.

"All I want now is for all the media, players and fans to get behind the team for the matches in Ireland and for my comments to be forgotten." He should be so lucky. Woosnam is a proud man and he is unlikely to forgive easily, if at all.

Captain Woesnam

Poor Woosy, he's been practicing his Opening Ceremony speech since February and all he gets is a bunch of criticism and backstabbing in return!

John Hopkins reports on the lashing Woosie received from Thomas Bjorn, who insists it's not sour grapes, but instead, fury at Woosnam's lousy organizational skills.

“So far his captaincy has been the most pathetic I have ever seen,” Björn said. “I haven’t spoken to him for six months and now I find that I’m not in the team watching television. How can that be right? He has put a lot of players through misery because he just hasn’t done the right thing.

“I have nothing against Lee Westwood. But if you can find one category in which he has beaten me then I would like to see it. I have played better than him in the qualifying phase — and then Woosnam bases his decision on results which are more than five years old. I don’t understand the way he is handling the whole situation. It doesn’t look like he is burdened by leadership qualities.

“He came into the bar at the hotel and gave me 20 seconds about Lee having won twice at the K Club. In a bar — that kind of sums it up. He can’t walk up to me, tell me in 20 seconds and expect me to be happy. I’m very disappointed. I think he’s been very poor in the way he’s handled the players.”

Woosnam cited Westwood’s two victories at the K Club as being among the factors that influenced him, leaving unsaid that Björn ran up an 11 on the 17th in the final round of last year’s Smurfit European Open when he had begun the day four strokes clear of the field.

“If that’s what it’s come down to then why didn’t he tell me I don’t think you’ve got the bottle to stand on the 17th tee?” Björn asked. “Yes, Lee’s won twice there. But Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros won at Augusta and I don’t think they’d be picked if this Ryder Cup was being played there.

“Woosie played with me when I finished second at the K Club (in 2001) by finishing three-four-three (an eagle and two birdies). So I’ve had good experiences there, too. But if it’s come down to one bad one then why didn’t he tell me?”

Meanwhile, Woosnam is not happy that former Euro Captain Bernhard Langer has advised current U.S. Captain Tom Lehman. But it's Langer who is surprised that he hasn't been consulted by Woosnam! Gosh I love how these big men are getting in touch with their pre-school days!

"I can't understand why he has not asked me for advice or suggestions," Langer said in Munich. "Everyone is different and has their own tactics but the only thing I know about him (Woosnam) is that earlier in his career he had a wonderful swing."

Ooooohhhh, don't just love how the Ryder Cup brings out the sportsmanship and class?

Woosnam revealed he has sought the advice of two other past Ryder Cup captains, while Langar has been offering advice to friend and US team captain Tom Lehman.

The German claimed he held "a little bit" back in their chat but that still seems to have riled Woosnam.

"It seems strange to me that Tom Lehman asked to speak to Bernhard Langer," the Welshman said.

Hmmm...I wonder what it is that Langer and Lehman have in common?

Huggan On Picks, Vol. 2

He explains in a Golfobserver.com column why Carl Pettersson didn't get a closer look:

Had the US-based Swede been allowed to join the European Tour at the start of the qualifying period (Pettersson claims he wanted to but was denied by the tour, whose officials insisted he must wait until the beginning of the 2006 season) he would have comfortably made the side without recourse to a wild card. Because of the delay, his PGA Tour victory at the 2005 Chrysler Classic and second place at the State Farm Classic one week later earned the likeable Pettersson nothing in Ryder Cup terms. Then, of course, he won the prestigious Memorial Tournament earlier this year.

It was never to be, however. Even if Pettersson, whose steady game looks ideal for foursomes play, could point to multiple victories on the world's biggest and best circuit during the 12-month qualifying window (and one more than the European Ryder Cup side combined), there was never any real chance of Woosnam burning a pick on someone he couldn't even be bothered to call in the lead up to making his selection. The Welshman has never been one of life's more outward looking individuals and was always going to favour a fellow Brit over a continental European. "Xenophobic" would be too sinister a description for Woosnam's attitude towards those not brought up in the British Isles, but "insular" isn't too far off the mark.

Euro Squad Set

Mike Aitken offers Ian Woosnam's thinking on his Captain's picks and the Euro squad, which PGATOUR.com breaks down here.

Huggan On Euro Squad

John Huggan looks at the possible scenarios heading into Sunday's BMW and the likelihood of Clarke-Westwood Captain's picks.

Tait On Shaky Euro Situation

Alistair Tait looks at the odd European Ryder Cup situation, with Jose Maria Olazabal sitting out and Monty questioning his devotion to the cause. Gosh, don't you just wish you could be in Ian Woosnam's shoes?

"We're here to bond"

A few fun stories were filed on the U.S. Ryder Cup team's appearance at K Club. First, James Corrigan in the Independent:

Woods certainly looked motivated as he braved a downpour of Noah proportions to finish off the 18th, together with Jim Furyk and JJ Henry as Lehman interestingly put them out in three-balls. "It was fun," he said, his smile daring one to think otherwise. But then, Woods had triumphed the previous night in Ohio in a rain-sodden shoot-out over his team-mate Stewart Cink, and golf tends to be rather enjoyable when you have just won four on the bounce. "We're here to bond," he said, singing from the Americans' well- rehearsed hymn sheet.

And the always entertaining Martin Johnson in the Telegraph: 

Woods, though, cleared his diary to join the rest of the US team on a specially chartered jumbo 747 on Sunday night, at estimated cost to the PGA of America of £250,000. It was, as you might expect, slightly less painful than it was for those taking a scheduled flight across the Atlantic.

Not only were the players not required to divest themselves of their shoes and trouser belts, they were all offered a pair of complimentary pyjamas before entering a cabin remodelled to resemble a five-star hotel executive floor.

Woods has been trying to live down his perceived insouciance for an event in which America's declining fortunes have largely been put down - hence Lehman's idea for this visit - to a lack of cameraderie.

In particular, his pairing with Mickelson in the last Ryder Cup produced the kind of chemistry more reminiscent of Dr Jekyll's experiment with test tubes than an irresistible blend of the world's No 1 and No 2 golfers, and Woods himself has only won fives times in 16 outings with a partner.

And...

Listening to a succession of American golfers talking on auto-pilot about how good their team spirit was, and how happy they all were to be here, was certainly illuminating, but only if you'd just had a long audience with the Speaking Clock. Woods himself said that in his experience, every Ryder Cup boiled down to "who makes the most putts, and who wins the 18th hole".

As competition for the most riveting insight into this year's Ryder Cup, it lagged far behind the news that there will be 40,000 square metres of tent, 300 car park attendants, and the allocation of 9600 toilet rolls to supply one hundred 1,100 litre portable lavatories. Maybe more if it's a tight finish.

And Lawrence Donegan in The Guardian...

What began with a card school at the back of a chartered flight across the Atlantic ended last night with a barbecue and a little fishing on the Liffey as the US Ryder Cup team completed day one of the most enthusiastic team-bonding exercise since Baden Powell was in short trousers.

Indeed if singing in unison was all it takes to win the most famous team event in the sport then Ian Woosnam's European squad might as well stay at home for next month's extravaganza at the K Club.

One can only hope this expression of team spirit was genuine because on this evidence the overnight trip seemed a very long way to come for a glorified group hug. The public was banned from the K Club and journalists' access heavily restricted, but as the US team set off in their buggies very little in the way of serious work appeared to be taking place. Woods, for one, admitted he had hardly bothered to hit any putts - "the greens were soft and they won't be like that at the Ryder Cup" - while Mickelson appeared more interested in taking copious notes.

To Walk Or Ride The K Club?

This unbylined wire story covers the U.S. Ryder Cup team playing K Club today and notes that the players all took carts.

What about the caddies? 

Match Play Lite

Scott Michaux profiles Vaughn Taylor, who, try not to cringe, will be playing his first match play event at the Ryder Cup. Same deal with Brett Wetterich.

Reilly: "the single worst squad we've ever taken to a Ryder Cup"

Rick Reilly in this week's Sports Illustrated:

Have you seen the U.S. team? It has all the intimidation power of the Liechtenstein navy. It would have a hard time beating the Winnetka Country Club ladies' B team. It's the single worst squad we've ever taken to a Ryder Cup, and that's saying something, considering the last batch got pummeled 181Ú2-91Ú2.

"We'll definitely be the underdog," Phil Mickelson says. "You lose four of the last five Cups, you're the underdog."

This outfit would be the underdog to a stiff breeze. Or do Brett Wetterich, Zach Johnson, J.J. Henry and Vaughn Taylor make your timbers shiver? It sounds like somebody's Webelos troop. None of those four have ever played in a Ryder Cup before. Three of them missed the cut at last week's PGA, and Henry finished 41st.

Wetterich has missed five cuts in his last eight starts. You look at him and think, Was he my waiter at Olive Garden last night? If he wasn't, he will be soon.

Won't Tiger be psyched to be paired with him?

That's the other thing: Tiger. He's the No. 1 player in the world by a light year, the Golfing Gladiator. Until he goes to Ryder Cups, and then he suddenly becomes Dead Man Walking.

He mopes around like a husband in couples therapy, only he talks to his partner less. It may the only thing he sucks at. His Ryder record is 7-11-2, and no wonder. He wasn't wired for team play. He trusts nobody. Why should he buddy up with people he's been trained to swallow in two bites or less? The hangman doesn't play on the prison softball team. Lions don't room with lambs.

Michael Bamberger says this team resembles a European squad from a few years ago...back when they were huge underdogs. And just in case you don't think you could pick J.J. Henry out of a lineup, SI.com features photos of the team members.

Harmon: "I was appalled by what I saw with Brett Wetterich"

I suppose Wetterich won't be signing up for a series after these remarks from Butch Harmon at the PGA.

Harmon told Sky Sports he was "appalled" by what he saw on day two at the 9th hole at last week's PGA Championship where Wetterich, destined to miss the cut by nine shots after shooting a 2nd-round 77, took four shots to get out of some greenside rough.

Harmon says he was infuriated by Wetterich's attitude.

"I was appalled by what I saw with Brett Wetterich," he told Sky Sports.

"That wasn't even his 36th hole or the last hole of the round, that was his ninth hole of the round and he literally gave up, he just walked along and made a few casual swings.

He just walks up, makes a pass at it, completely whiffs it, then he chunks it, now he just hits it again."

Harmon's comment was made shortly before US captain Tom Lehman finalised the team at the weekend when he named Stewart Cink and Scott Verplank as his two wild card picks.

"This isn't the kind of guy you want on your Ryder Cup team," Harmon said of Wetterich.

Well now we know what break the ice between Wetterich and Tiger: a good Butch Harmon ripfest!  

Donegan On The U.S. Team

Lawrence Donegan in Tuesday's Guardian, writing about Tiger and Phil's absence for next week's U.S. practice rounds at K Club:

As an exercise in preparing his squad for what lies ahead, the trip could not be faulted but as a statement of American team unity it had a fatal flaw: his two best players will not be there.

And...

Lehman said he hoped the Irish public would be allowed into the K Club to watch his team's practice sessions - another savvy public relations move on his part - although it did raise the question of how many would take him up on the kind offer, especially as his squad contains four players whom most casual fans would be hard pressed to pick out of a Garda Siochana line-up.

"These guys all deserve to be here. They all played themselves on to the team and I am extremely happy that they did," the US captain said when asked about the presence of the Ryder Cup rookies JJ Henry, Vaughn Taylor, Brett Wetterich and Zach Johnson.

Nor is there likely to be a rush at Dublin airport to get the autographs of Stewart Cink and Scott Verplank, the two players chosen by Lehman as his captain's picks. "Stewart has played steady golf throughout his career. He hits the ball great, is a strong putter and a great chipper of the ball," he said of Cink.

Cink and Verplank Are The Captain's Picks

Ryder Cup Tom Lehman says Stricker, Love and Glover were the next three he agonized over, and that his emphasis was on guys who put the ball in play and who can chip and putt.

Update on 2006-08-21 18:13 by Geoff

Steve Elling (here), Mark Garrod (here) and Doug Ferguson (here) are the first to report on the picks, with comments from Lehman, Cink and Verplank.

Ryder Cup Picks?

Brian Wacker blogs at GolfDigest.com about the Ryder Cup picture "clearing up" thanks to so-so PGA play by Lucas Glover and Jerry Kelly.

In other words, no one made a move points wise, meaning the Ryder Cup points roster did not change. That's right, J.J. Henry, Brett Wetterich, Vaughn Taylor and Zach Johnson have made the U.S. team.

Who would you pick? I'd take Cink and Stricker.

Tom Lehman announces his picks at 9 a.m. EST Monday. 

Ryder Cup Points Watch, Week 3

According to Jim Nantz on today's telecast, if Tom Lehman wins The International, he moves up to 7th on the U.S. list with one week to go.

With a loss to Dean Wilson on the second playoff hole, he instead moves up to 19th.

Ponder that!

^{1    1    Tiger Woods      36    4,150.000
2    2    Phil Mickelson     43    2,474.375
3    3    Jim Furyk     51    2,076.000
4    4    Chad Campbell     51    1,129.602
5    5    David Toms     49    1,072.250
6    6    Chris DiMarco     50    830.000
7    7    Vaughn Taylor     60    780.833
8    8    J.J. Henry     62    778.750
9    9    Zach Johnson     59    756.477
10    10    Brett Wetterich       46    746.000
11    11    John Rollins     58    685.000
12    20    Stewart Cink     52    676.894
13    12    Jerry Kelly     62    653.750
14    13    Lucas Glover     61    641.376
15    14    Davis Love III     48    631.875
16    15    Fred Couples     39    627.727
17    16    Tim Herron     54    621.667
18    17    Tom Pernice, Jr.     64    615.000
19    29    Tom Lehman     41    612.917}

Meanwhile in Europe, the names with the dashes next to them are in right now. 

^{The Ryder Cup World Points List
Updated:   07 Aug 2006
Position     Player Name     Points
-1     David HOWELL     207.27
-2     Colin MONTGOMERIE     205.90
-3     José Maria OLAZÁBAL     202.09
-4     Henrik STENSON     201.76
-5     Luke DONALD     192.25
6     Sergio GARCIA     187.96
7     Paul CASEY     165.33
8     Padraig HARRINGTON     154.46
9     Carl PETTERSSON     154.12
10     Robert KARLSSON     151.46}

^{The Ryder Cup European Points List
Updated:   13 Aug 2006
After the The KLM Open
Position     Player Name     Points
1     Colin MONTGOMERIE     2434316.11
2     David HOWELL     2274635.98
-3     Robert KARLSSON     1870581.77
4     Henrik STENSON     1782888.71
-5     Paul CASEY     1721833.85
-6     Sergio GARCIA     1634091.27
-7     Padraig HARRINGTON     1514027.44
-8     Paul MCGINLEY     1473112.24
9     José Maria OLAZÁBAL     1381698.05
10     Paul BROADHURST     1336905.57}