Lehman takes US Ryder Cup reins

FORMER Open champion Tom Lehman has been given the job of trying to restore American golfing pride after their heaviest Ryder Cup defeat.

The 45-year-old was last night named as captain in succession to Hal Sutton for the first ever match on Irish soil at the K Club in September 2006.

And it is an appointment that will surprise many.

Lehman's last involvement in the match was in Boston in 1999 and he was portrayed as the main villain in what Sam Torrance, Europe's vice-captain at the time, later called in his autobiography "the most disgraceful and disgusting day in the history of professional golf.

"The spectators behaved like animals and some of the American players, most notably Lehman, acted like madmen."

Having beaten Lee Westwood in the opening singles, Lehman was by the 17th green when Justin Leonard sank a 45-foot putt against Jose Maria Olazabal. He and a number of others reacted as if America had won the cup back, but Olazabal still had a putt to keep it alive.

Torrance famously said on television at the time: "Tom Lehman calls himself a man of God, but his behaviour today has been disgusting."

In a telephone conversation a month later Lehman, even dubbed the "Beast of Brookline", apologised to Torrance "from the bottom of my heart" and last night he said: "The past couple of matches have shown that what happened is a thing of the past.

"I am sure the sportsmanship and respect will continue we are well beyond the incident.

"But what makes the Ryder Cup fantastic is the emotional side. It would not be the Ryder Cup without it.

"I am a very emotional, passionate, impulsive person and what a thrill and an honour this is. Sometimes you never dream big enough and this was beyond my wildest dreams. It's a thrill beyond belief."

Lehman took the opportunity to add, however, that he will be trying to play his way onto the team.

"That's my ultimate ambition and if I win three times say and think I will be an asset then yes, I will play."

He does not yet know who will be opposing him as Europe's captain. Bernhard Langer has yet to say whether he would be prepared to stay on if asked and the European tour's tournament committee is expected to discuss the matter at their next meeting next month.

Former amateur champion Iain Pyman made a spectacular start to his bid for a European Tour card in stage two of the qualifying school in Spain.

The 31-year-old, a five-time winner on the European Challenge Tour, fired a nine-under-par 63 over the Golf Oliva Nova course near Valencia to surge to the top of the leaderboard, a stroke ahead of Norway's Oyvind Rojhan.

Northern Ireland's Raymond Burns shares third place on 66 with Swede Magnus Atlevi and Frenchman Thomas Prevot.

Double European Tour winner Mark Mouland of Wales opened with a 71 while the 1995 Amateur champion Gordon Sherry had a 74.

At the nearby El Bosque Country Club, England's Denny Lucas hoisted himself to the top of the early standings with a seven-under 65. The 27-year-old from Worksop leads by a stroke from France's Benoit Teilleria and Swedish amateur Oskar Henningson.

Aussie Paul Marantz made a happy return to the Emporda course near Girona as he topped the leaderboard after day one.

The 34-year-old from Sydney, who won his European Tour card over the same course in last year's qualifying school final, fashioned a fine eight-under 63 to lead by a stroke from France's Sebastien Delagrange and Ireland's Ciaran McMonagle.

David Dixon, the leading amateur at the 2001 Open championship, opened with a 71.

Meanwhile, Denmark's Mianne Bagger yesterday made history by becoming the first transsexual woman to earn a place on the Ladies European Tour.

Bagger was able to qualify after the LET changed its rule stating players must be born female to compete in tour events.

Despite a final round of 77, Bagger finished joint ninth in the qualifying school in Italy and was delighted that she has achieved a childhood dream of being able to play professional golf.

"It's been a long week and tough for many reasons, but I'm naturally delighted to be able to finally fulfil my childhood ambition," she said.

"I sold up everything that I owned in Australia to fund this year and I have nothing but friends and family, but now I feel rich."