Weighing up the contenders

NO sooner had speculation ended on who the European Ryder Cup captain should be at The K Club next year than we are now into the business of guessing who should be Ian Woosnam’s vice-captain.

The little Welshman was quick to stress that his second in command would be Irish, an announcement that came as little surprise to those who know how much Woosie enjoys this country and how well he gets on with our top players.

If Woosie was to opt for a kindred spirit, then Christy O’Connor Jnr would already be past the post. The two love a knees-up and aren’t averse to a jar or two. But there’s a lot more to the issue than that, so let’s envisage how he will come to the decision, to be announced during the Smurfit European Open at The K Club in the first week of July.