Sunday, August 29, 2004
Guardian Unlimited Sport | Golf | Monty makes the final Ryder cutMonty makes the final Ryder cut
Langer hands Scot and Donald wild cards as McGinley edges out Jacobson
David Davies in Munich
Monday August 30, 2004
The Guardian
On the 72nd hole of the BMW International yesterday Fredrik Jacobson had a 12-foot putt which, if holed, could earn him the last automatic place on Europe's Ryder Cup team. There was just one proviso. His rival for that place was his playing partner Paul McGinley, who, if Jacobson missed, had a four-footer of his own to make the team instead.
Thus it was that the last place came down to the last two putts on the last green of the last qualifying tournament and the silence around the 18th, as the two men prepared themselves, was profound.
Jacobson drew back his putter first but almost as soon as the Swede struck the ball McGinley must have sighed with relief. It was never on line but now the Irishman had to hole a putt of that length about which golfers break into a sweat, even in the middle of the night. However, it was firm, it was on line, it went in and so did McGinley.
The importance of those putts was emphasised 90 minutes later when the Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer announced his two personal selections to complete the team were Colin Montgomerie and Luke Donald. In explaining his decision Langer admitted that Jacobson had all but forced his way in.
"The selection process in my mind did not end until the last putts had been hit," said Langer. "If Jacobson had been two or three shots better, or maybe even one shot better, he could have been in the team."
It had been fully expected that Montgomerie and Donald would complete the team, the Scot for his experience and the Englishman for consistent good form this season. But it was also known that Langer had a high regard for Jacobson and yesterday he said of him: "I think he will be the most disappointed because he has had an outstanding year. But he took five weeks off when they had a baby and maybe that hurt his chances a little bit."
Of Montgomerie he said: "Colin knew he had to show me something this week and I am very proud of him because he has had some very difficult private times this year. But he has come out the other end refocused and will rise to the occasion. There is huge pressure in the Ryder Cup and some crumble, some thrive and Colin has always thrived." He added: "Anyone who has a problem with me picking Colin I feel sorry for."
Langer said he had looked at the number of tournaments played, performance over the last six to eight weeks, experience, the Oakland Hills set-up, a leadership role and performance under pressure as factors in choosing Montgomerie and Donald.
"Luke was the harder pick but he has had a tremendous 18 months and he came to Munich despite knowing he could not play his way on to the team," he said. "But he, like Colin, could play with anyone in the team. He also has a great Walker Cup record and, while that is not the same pressure, it is close and it is match play."
Out on the course behind McGinley and Jacobson Miguel Angel Jimenez was in the process of winning the tournament and £203,000; Thomas Levet was coming second. Paul Casey and Alex Cejka had, among others, already finished third. But every second year the BMW surrenders primacy to the Ryder Cup qualifying process and for those players whose place is not secure it is that thought which occupies their minds, not necessarily winning.
For McGinley this was his 10th successive event as he struggled to secure his place. "My whole life has been on hold," he said afterwards. "I've made a dash for the line and finally succeeded."
He had made it difficult for himself on that last hole, a reachable par-five of 568 yards. After Jacobson had hit three shots to 12 feet, McGinley, from the middle of the fairway, missed the green, clattered into some hospitality tents and from there into a pond.
But the Irishman was not so much looking for a prawn sandwich as somewhere he could get a decent penalty drop and, from "four or five options", he chose the right one. He hit a good chip and the rest was the concluding hysteria.
There had been a touch of that earlier when Ian Poulter first of all took seven at the par-five 6th and eight at the par-four 10th. After that last adventure he had gone from ninth automatic to out of the team at that point; in fact well out of the team.
It left him with work to do and, as he said: "I showed my colours after the 10th. I knew I had to play the best golf of my life and I did."
Poulter immediately eagled the long 11th, had good birdie chances at each of the next five holes, converting two of them, and came to the last "desperate for another eagle".
"The only time I felt nervous was over the second shot at the 18th. I wanted that three and getting it makes it the biggest of my life." It took him from 58th after the 10th to 24th at the end of the round - and back into the team to take on the United States next month.
The first faint rumblings of what would have been a revolution in the Ryder Cup standings came from Graeme McDowell. He began the day on three-under, 12 behind the leaders, but, when he birdied four of his first six holes, the Irish element present began to get excited and, when he then eagled both the 9th and 11th holes, to be eight under for the round, so did everyone else.
What a story: promising 25-year-old gets round in 59, breaks European Tour scoring record, wins tournament, makes Ryder Cup team.
Unfortunately at the 12th "the thought of 59 came into my head," he said. "When I missed it I lost the momentum and I struggled for the next few holes."
He was round in 62, though, and a substantial cheque will soothe the disappointment.
Langer hands Scot and Donald wild cards as McGinley edges out Jacobson
David Davies in Munich
Monday August 30, 2004
The Guardian
On the 72nd hole of the BMW International yesterday Fredrik Jacobson had a 12-foot putt which, if holed, could earn him the last automatic place on Europe's Ryder Cup team. There was just one proviso. His rival for that place was his playing partner Paul McGinley, who, if Jacobson missed, had a four-footer of his own to make the team instead.
Thus it was that the last place came down to the last two putts on the last green of the last qualifying tournament and the silence around the 18th, as the two men prepared themselves, was profound.
Jacobson drew back his putter first but almost as soon as the Swede struck the ball McGinley must have sighed with relief. It was never on line but now the Irishman had to hole a putt of that length about which golfers break into a sweat, even in the middle of the night. However, it was firm, it was on line, it went in and so did McGinley.
The importance of those putts was emphasised 90 minutes later when the Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer announced his two personal selections to complete the team were Colin Montgomerie and Luke Donald. In explaining his decision Langer admitted that Jacobson had all but forced his way in.
"The selection process in my mind did not end until the last putts had been hit," said Langer. "If Jacobson had been two or three shots better, or maybe even one shot better, he could have been in the team."
It had been fully expected that Montgomerie and Donald would complete the team, the Scot for his experience and the Englishman for consistent good form this season. But it was also known that Langer had a high regard for Jacobson and yesterday he said of him: "I think he will be the most disappointed because he has had an outstanding year. But he took five weeks off when they had a baby and maybe that hurt his chances a little bit."
Of Montgomerie he said: "Colin knew he had to show me something this week and I am very proud of him because he has had some very difficult private times this year. But he has come out the other end refocused and will rise to the occasion. There is huge pressure in the Ryder Cup and some crumble, some thrive and Colin has always thrived." He added: "Anyone who has a problem with me picking Colin I feel sorry for."
Langer said he had looked at the number of tournaments played, performance over the last six to eight weeks, experience, the Oakland Hills set-up, a leadership role and performance under pressure as factors in choosing Montgomerie and Donald.
"Luke was the harder pick but he has had a tremendous 18 months and he came to Munich despite knowing he could not play his way on to the team," he said. "But he, like Colin, could play with anyone in the team. He also has a great Walker Cup record and, while that is not the same pressure, it is close and it is match play."
Out on the course behind McGinley and Jacobson Miguel Angel Jimenez was in the process of winning the tournament and £203,000; Thomas Levet was coming second. Paul Casey and Alex Cejka had, among others, already finished third. But every second year the BMW surrenders primacy to the Ryder Cup qualifying process and for those players whose place is not secure it is that thought which occupies their minds, not necessarily winning.
For McGinley this was his 10th successive event as he struggled to secure his place. "My whole life has been on hold," he said afterwards. "I've made a dash for the line and finally succeeded."
He had made it difficult for himself on that last hole, a reachable par-five of 568 yards. After Jacobson had hit three shots to 12 feet, McGinley, from the middle of the fairway, missed the green, clattered into some hospitality tents and from there into a pond.
But the Irishman was not so much looking for a prawn sandwich as somewhere he could get a decent penalty drop and, from "four or five options", he chose the right one. He hit a good chip and the rest was the concluding hysteria.
There had been a touch of that earlier when Ian Poulter first of all took seven at the par-five 6th and eight at the par-four 10th. After that last adventure he had gone from ninth automatic to out of the team at that point; in fact well out of the team.
It left him with work to do and, as he said: "I showed my colours after the 10th. I knew I had to play the best golf of my life and I did."
Poulter immediately eagled the long 11th, had good birdie chances at each of the next five holes, converting two of them, and came to the last "desperate for another eagle".
"The only time I felt nervous was over the second shot at the 18th. I wanted that three and getting it makes it the biggest of my life." It took him from 58th after the 10th to 24th at the end of the round - and back into the team to take on the United States next month.
The first faint rumblings of what would have been a revolution in the Ryder Cup standings came from Graeme McDowell. He began the day on three-under, 12 behind the leaders, but, when he birdied four of his first six holes, the Irish element present began to get excited and, when he then eagled both the 9th and 11th holes, to be eight under for the round, so did everyone else.
What a story: promising 25-year-old gets round in 59, breaks European Tour scoring record, wins tournament, makes Ryder Cup team.
Unfortunately at the 12th "the thought of 59 came into my head," he said. "When I missed it I lost the momentum and I struggled for the next few holes."
He was round in 62, though, and a substantial cheque will soothe the disappointment.
