Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie aim to make a point at the Masters
Sep 24 2008 By Peter Ricketts, Birmingham Mail
TWO of the giants of European golf will tee off in the Quinn Insurance British Masters tomorrow determined to make a point.
Both Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie will be anxious to emphasise that if Nick Faldo had made them his “picks” for the Ryder Cup team they would most certainly have been up for the job.
Not that anybody could quarrel with the performance of Ian Poulter and Paul Casey, and Faldo did have the unenviable task of choosing two from four very worthy contenders.
But pride enters into the equation when you are left behind.
So there we go, it was inevitable that the Ryder Cup would crop up when we should be glorying instead in the glittering array of super golfing stars on parade on our doorstep this week.
Three of the beaten Ryder team have flown in from Kentucky for this £1.8million gem of a tournament – and it will be surprising if they can throw off jetlag and the numbness of the drubbing handed out by the Yanks in time to do well.
Perhaps memories of last year’s British Masters will inject new life into Lee Westwood.
Now enjoying a second bite at the Euro cherry after a year or so in the doldrums, Westwood can look back on his final round of the 2007 Masters with great delight.
This time last year he swept aside overnight leaders Ian Poulter and Mark Foster with a seven-under-par 65 for a thrilling victory.
Also sleepy-eyed after making the journey across the Atlantic from the bedlam of Valhalla are Graeme McDowell and Oliver Wilson. Irishman McDowell was undoubtedly the sensation of the European side.
He positively glowed with the excitement of it all and he played magnificently.
Has he brought the magic back with him? We will see tomorrow.
Wilson is a new name in international level golf.
‘Oliver who?’ said the Yanks. But in fact he turned pro in 2003 and has blossomed this season with Tour winnings of £1.7m and is ninth in the order of merit.
David Howell could surprise us all this week. The man from Swindon made the top 10 in this year’s Open and is showing signs of recovery after back trouble blighted his career.
And how about Richard Finch? The Englishman won the Irish Open in confident style and admits to a personal interest in the British Masters.
Through it he met his future wife Debbie, a golfer herself who worked for Chubby Chandler’s International Sports Management, sponsors of the event.
“The Masters hold a special place in my affections and I’m looking forward to playing the Brabazon again,” he said.
Others worth watching include former British Masters winner Johan Edfors, one-time Ryder Cup celebrity Paul McGinley, Nick Doherty, Michael Campbell, Thomas Bjorn, and Jean van de Velde, the man who threw away the Open in such flamboyant style.
The list of golfing stars goes on and on and big crowds are expected at the Belfry to savour this rare feast of seeing the game as it should be played.
Be there and enjoy it.
