Best practice warning for US Ryder Cup stars

TOE the line is the message to American superstars Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson when the Ryder Cup comes to The K Club in Co Kildare in September 2006.

Woods began his practice rounds at The Belfry in 2002 and at Oakland Hills last year at around 6am and had finished by the time most spectators had turned up, while Mickelson went off to a different course to practise prior to the matches last year.

Those paying €35 on the Tuesday and Wednesday and €45 on the Thursday at The K Club will be less than happy should Woods and Mickelson again behave in such a manner.

Richard Hills, chairman of the European Tour Ryder Cup committee, has been in touch with his US counterpart Kerry Haig, to try to ensure there isn’t a repeat next year. The onus will be on US captain Tom Lehman to ensure Woods and Mickelson fit in with the practice rota.

“The practice habits of some of the players going into the matches have changed over the years,” Hills said at yesterday’s press briefing in Dublin.

“It’s something Kerry and I are monitoring and tracking and we’ll be talking to the respective captains to ensure the paying spectators are given full value. We would like to see that there is some regulated practice in the run-up to the matches. But it’s the captain’s call.

Hills also revealed spectators have until the end of July to apply for tickets. However, supply will be short of demand, with numbers restricted to 40,000, and 7,500 snapped up by the corporate sector and another 2,000 going to the US.