"I happen to think that a course is up to Ryder Cup standard if the ninth green comes back somewhere close to the clubhouse."

John Huggan examines why Europe puts their Ryder Cup venue selection "up for sale to the highest bidder" and obtains this beautiful quote from European Tour head George O'Grady.

"I don't think the Ryder Cup has to be played on the greatest course in the world," says O'Grady, only a little defensively. "Look at the Belfry, where there have been some great Ryder Cup matches. I happen to think that a course is up to Ryder Cup standard if the ninth green comes back somewhere close to the clubhouse."

Pavin Wants Team To See Celtic Manor Early, No Matter How Much It Pains Them

Determined to make his team like the dreaded Celtic Manor, or at least learn how to open the clubhouse doors slowly, Captain Pavin is going to plead with his likely 2010 Ryder Cuppers to drag themselves to Wales early.

"It is obviously a little different for us, but what I'm going to do is ask my players who come over for The Open Championship, either before or after, to try to get a couple practice rounds here," Pavin said. "I certainly would like my potential players to see the course once or twice before Ryder Cup week."

Monty Lloyd Wright Already Running Up Celtic Manor Decorating Tab

Mark Garrod says Europe's visionary captain has made sure to avoid any major hand or wrist injuries after a cranky Sergio blows open the team room double doors after a match demolishing.

"We are lucky that everything there is purpose-built for the Ryder Cup, including the team rooms which can be entered and exited by two big wooden doors.

"Although they were beautiful, as I was standing there looking at them something didn't feel right and it suddenly dawned on me – you couldn't see who was on the other side.

Well, and that Formica finish...it's so trailer park. Oh, sorry continue Monty Stickley:

"Now while that might not seem a big problem, imagine you are coming back off the golf course and are just about to put your hand on the handle to pull the door open when one of your team-mates comes barging out of the room from the other side.

"Bang! The door smashes into your hand and that is your Ryder Cup finished right there and then. Twelve months of sweat and toil to get into the team taken away in an instant.

"I immediately alerted the officials to the issue and that will be changed immediately either by making each door only open one way or by putting glass panels in both the doors so you can see who is on the other side."

Monty Says No To Wales Open Pavin Pairing!

Derek Lawrenson hid this little nugget at the end of his European Open story:

You can imagine the temptation to pair them together for the first two rounds, 18 months before their teams duel over the same course in the Ryder Cup itself.

Except that Monty, who endured another miserable day here with a final round 75, has requested it does not happen.

Clearly, he would be under more pressure to perform and can visualise the bold type in the papers the next morning if he has one of his grumpy days and Pavin shoots 69.

As one colleague wryly put it: ‘A disappointingly shrewd move on his part.’

Rory Not Backing Down; Earning Raves For Faldoesque Honesty!

From the Telegraph:

Northern Irishman McIlroy, who had said that individual competition was more important to him, added to his remarks of Wednesday. "At the end of the day it's (the Ryder Cup) a great event, probably the best spectacle in golf. But sometimes it's been taken a little too seriously.

"If I get into the team it will be massive and I'll enjoy it."

Peter Hutcheon in the Belfast Telegraph defends the young lad, saying his attitude reminds of a young Nick Faldo.

But at its inception as a friendly match between two sets of golfers, it was never meant to be this colossus, which dominates the game like no other.

McIlroy is the first in a generation to dare break the party line and point out that the whole thing has grown out of all proportion.

I dare say he will enjoy the cut and thrust of the competition against the Americans when his turn comes.
But his sights are set on achieving much more in the game.

I'm sorry, but if Anthony Kim said the same thing, the British press would be ripping him to shreds!

Captain Monty Open To Having Lunch With People He Never Would Have Dined With Before

Mike Aitken reports on just how desperate European Captain Colin Montgomerie is to win.

"I feel in the past that there has been only a select few told things on a need-to-know basis but I want this to be an open campaign," he explained. "I will do it through e-mails to the players and talk to them in players' lounges. At lunch, maybe I'll sit at tables I wouldn't otherwise have sat at and say 'listen lads, this is what's happening'.

Lunching with the little people he never would have wasted his time with.  Now that is determination!

Monty Does Everything But Call Faldo A Blundering Idiot

As quoted by Bernie Mcguire...

The Scot said: "I wasn't in Valhalla but my optimum number is more than last time.

"I will have Olly there with me and other suitable candidates. I have a great understanding and respect for Olly.

"I will have plenty of backroom staff. I think it's very important you have enough help out there.

There's an awful lot going on and I cannot be in two places at once.

"But my goal is to try to gain 14 and a half points."

Monty also revealed his shame for last September's team.

And he insists the disappointment on the faces of the losing players is something he is determined not to see again.

He said: "I watched on TV what was going on. Knowing the players as I did, especially the Harrington and Westwood situation at the end of the matches, I felt ashamed for them to be left at the end there.

"They should have been involved at an earlier stage but I saw enough of what was going on.

"I didn't see the practice days which is important to a team unit. I only saw the match days and when you are so far behind after the first day it's a large hurdle to climb.

"From that very first day it was difficult to see smiles on anyone's faces and I would expect that.

"That was a first-day defeat we hadn't seen for some time. We just need that early momentum as it is very difficult nowadays to pull anything back in a Ryder Cup."