Test of nerves for 40 hopefuls at pre-qualifiers

AS Paul McGinley and co play for the £1 million first prize in the HSBC World Match Play Championship at Wentworth, other matters are taxing the minds of hundreds of hopefuls all over Europe.

These are the guys putting the final touches to their games before playing in one of the game’s most nerve-wracking events - the first European Tour pre-qualifiers at six venues throughout the continent - next week from September 20-23.

Some 99 players will tee it up, three in England and one each in Germany, Italy and France, and as always they include 40 Irishmen.