McGinley and Jordan stall after fast start in Munich

WITH former Formula One boss Eddie Jordan acting as his caddy, Paul McGinley made an appropriately fast start with four birdies in his first five holes in the BMW International Open in Munich.

But he could subsequently only manage one more birdie and bogeyed the 15th.

“We started as if we were on a qualifying lap, got a puncture near the end but we got it home,” joked Jordan, who sold his team at the start of the season.

McGinley, third in the NEC Invitational at Firestone on Sunday, added: “It was great today. I feel I played better than a 68 but it is a good score and we’ll take it.”

As ever in Munich the scoring was low and McGinley’s 68 left him three shots off the lead shared by BMW Championship winner Angel Cabrera, Holland’s Robert-Jan Derksen and Australian Brett Rumford.

Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn was among nine players just a shot behind on six under, continuing his good form from the USPGA Championship where he finished second behind Phil Mickelson.

“It was an important week for me after St George’s to get into that position and feel comfortable in that position,” said Bjorn. “I take a lot of confidence from that.

“I now know I can look the best players in the eye and take them on. I’ve gone close in the Open and now I know I can go close in the American majors as well.”

Ryder Cup qualification has not even started yet, but Ian Poulter already has his sights set on sealing his place by the end of the year.

A first-round 66 has inspired the 29-year-old to target a spot on Ian Woosnam’s 12-man team for the K Club next September as soon as possible.

“I want to be there and I’d love to have it sorted by the end of year. I’m not saying I’m going to, but it is possible.

“The tournaments are big enough now where if you do play well enough you can make a massive dent in it.

“It would take a lot of pressure off. There were three or four of us last year jostling for spots in the Ryder Cup, and that’s not a nice position to be in.”

Poulter feels it is vital to qualify for the inaugural $5 million (€4m) HSBC Champions Tournament in China in November and needs to remain in the world’s top 50 - he is currently 47th - for two more weeks to do so.

But he was less impressed to learn that the record prize money on offer in the HSBC World Match Play at Wentworth in September also counts towards Ryder Cup qualification.

Only 16 players will battle for the £1m (€1.5m) first prize - and although the winner’s earnings will be capped at £400,000 (€586,000) in terms of qualification points, Poulter was not best pleased.

“I’ll say one word,” he added.

“Pathetic.”

Poulter still has an outside chance to qualify himself but would need to win this week and hope both Paul McGinley and David Howell - who occupy the two remaining qualifying places on the Order of Merit - win virtually nothing in Munich.

That looks unlikely, given the fact McGinley carded an opening 68 and Howell a 66 at Nord-Eichenried.