Belfry holds no fear for McGinley

HIS Ryder Cup debut here at the Belfry may have been only five days away but as he watched television in his plush Sunningdale home, Paul McGinley's mind was far from golf.

Dubliner McGinley has always been a Gaelic football fanatic and on Sunday he sat and anxiously watched Armagh capture Sam Maguire, for the first time. Maybe there was a pang that his native county, weren't there, but he was impressed nonetheless: "I don't think I've ever been as excited before as I was watching Armagh win that match", he enthused. "For you guys who don't know anything about football, it was like Leicester City beating Manchester United in the Cup final having been two or three down at half time. It was terribly exciting. It was a wonderful, wonderful game".

Now, though, he's facing into a totally different situation. All the trappings of success were evident as McGinley pulled up outside the on-site hotel here at The Belfry in his gleaming BMW accompanied by his wife, Alison, who is expecting their third child in five weeks time. It will be a tough week for her, too, but at least Killian and Niamh are safely back home being looked after by relations.