American stars turn back on Wentworth invite

JIM Furyk, Kenny Perry, Phil Mickelson, David Toms and Davis Love have all followed Tiger Woods in turning down the chance to win the £1million (€1.43m) first prize — the second biggest in golf – at the HSBC World Matchplay Championship at Wentworth in two weeks’ time.

But their decision does at least mean while there are no British or Irish players taking part for the first time in the event's history, there are now three Europeans Thomas Bjorn, Fredrik Jacobson and Alex Cejka in the 12-man field.

Woods, guaranteed a spot as world number one, was the first to declare himself unavailable because he has a Tiger Woods Foundation kids' clinic the same weekend.