Ryder Cup's "dazzling dozen" set for reunion at Masters
The fact that the "dazzling dozen" have signed on indicates the prestige of the tournament and that the venue is arguably the best on Tour.
It was here that Europe won the 1997 Ryder Cup and of that side, Colin Montgomerie, Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood and Thomas Bjorn compete this week. Miguel-Angel Jimenez was then assistant to captain Seve Ballesteros and in the meantime, the likes of Jesper Parnevik, Per-Ulrik Johnasson, Jose-Maria Olazabal, Ian Woosnam, Costantino Rocca, Nick Faldo and Ignacio Garrido have either departed our shores, lost form or just gradually drifted from the scene.
A new, younger breed has stepped in to take their place, further underlining the progress constantly being made by the European circuit.
Already Padraig Harrington and Sergio Garcia are regarded among the more experienced members of team and tour and have been joined by young lions such as Luke Donald, Paul Casey, David Howell and Ian Poulter.
Waiting in the wings are others, notably Fredrik Johansson - the colourful Swede who became the first player to lead wire-to-wire in last year's Volvo Masters and is back to defend - Ireland's Graeme McDowell and England's golden boy Justin Rose.
Another tyro, Sergio Garcia, is favourite for the event at around 7 or 8 to 1. He's decent value at that price, having won the Mallorca Classic, and comes to Valderrama on the back of an outstanding season, including two victories on the US Tour and a 4½ point contribution to the Ryder Cup heroics.
But Harrington, Clarke, McDowell and Paul McGinley are also all capable landing the top prize of €600,000. Harrington and Clarke have captured the Masters once each at Montecastillo.
McGinley would need a step up in form to go all the way but McDowell sees no reason why he shouldn't capitalise on his outstanding form of the past several months. He was up there with the best of them in Madrid at the weekend, before fading on the final day with a 73 that pushed him back into a share of 19th.
However, his 64 in the second round demonstrated once again his facility to shoot a seriously low number and it doesn't seem to matter how difficult a course may be.
Now for a look at the darker side of life on the European Tour.
Valderrama and the Volvo Masters and all its prestige and huge financial rewards were the last thing on the minds of many of those competing in the Madrid Open.
The new champion, 23-year-old South African Richard Sterne, was 122nd on the order of merit and knew he needed a good result to get into the top 115 and keep his cards for next year. He won with a superb total of 266 and so ended all such problems for at least the next two years.
There was no mercy for Jamie Spence, the Tour's tournament committee chairman, who could do no better than 30th and left him 131st in the rankings. He's now off to the Tour School at San Roque in a fortnight's time, ruefully accepting that, while he could depend on a number of invitations in 2005.
Joining him there will be Peter Baker, an outstanding Ryder Cup golfer, Roger Chapman and the highly rated Simon Wakefield.
The hard luck story of the lot has to be that of Johan Edfors.
The Swede needed a top two finish in Madrid to keep his card and was right on course to do so when tied for the lead on Saturday. But then some idiot pocketed his golf ball which cost him a double bogey six, and though he fought his way back bravely to again stand second after 14 holes, he made a hash of the 15th and the chance was gone.
He finished ninth - and readied himself immediately for the Tour School where he will be joined by several Irishmen, including David Higgins and Stephen Browne, as reward for their efforts on the Challenge Tour and Tim Rice, who qualifies as one of the top three on the Europro Tour.
There are no such concerns for Gary Murphy, Peter Lawrie and Damien McGrane, who have all retained their cards with plenty to spare.
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