Newly-crowned European number one Henrik Stenson has given a guarded welcome to a new European Tour regulation requiring players to support their home events or be forced to play an extra two tournaments.

Players with good form at Gleneagles and experience of playing in bad weather will rank “very highly” in the list of contenders for one of European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley’s three wild cards.

THE many American commentators who wondered aloud about Graeme McDowell’s worthiness to be crowned US Open champion after his great victory at Pebble Beach last June have been forced to eat another dose of humble pie after the latest heroics by the Portrush man in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Hawaii on Sunday.

GRAEME McDOWELL will convene his think tank next week in the Caribbean to thrash out his playing schedule for 2011.

“WHATEVER my personal view might be, the reason I’m not playing the Seve Trophy is because of my schedule.”