BRITAIN and Ireland have been so badly hit by withdrawals that despite four successive wins in the Seve Trophy – now renamed the Vivendi Trophy – they are underdogs against Continental Europe in Paris this week.

IT may sound like a million to one double.

The Vivendi Trophy with Seve Ballesteros takes place in Paris in two weeks’ time, but whether the former world number one is going to be there is in doubt.

Just four months after he was made Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie has been instrumental in boosting the chances that Paul McGinley will be the man in charge at Gleneagles in 2014.

Germany’s Alex Cejka begins his quest for a US Tour card this week with the safety net of a two-year exemption in Europe beneath him.

Sergio Garcia was today battling to keep alive his chances of retaining his Lancome Trophy title at St Nom La Breteche.

Robert Karlsson was today hoping his run of bad luck had come to an end, albeit a painful one, in the Lancome Trophy.

NICK FALDO suffered a dreaded shank as his hopes of a first win in Europe since 1994 were dealt a potentially fatal blow in the Lancome Trophy.

Nick Faldo suffered a dreaded shank as his hopes of a first win in Europe since 1994 were dealt a potentially fatal blow in the Lancome Trophy.

Nick Faldo remained hot on the heels of leader Alex Cejka in the second round of the Lancome Trophy at St Nom La Breteche.

NICK FALDO reaped the rewards of concentrating purely on his golf in the first round of the Lancome Trophy.

Ian Woosnam put the issue of Ryder Cup captaincy to one side to concentrate on his golf in the first round of the Lancome Trophy today.

SAM TORRANCE believes Ian Woosnam should succeed him as Ryder Cup captain for the 2004 contest at Oakland Hills in Michigan.

Organisers of the Lancome Trophy in Paris have confirmed that Tiger Woods will play there the week before the Ryder Cup in September.