Ryder Cup hopefuls fail to make up ground

THE ABSENT Paul McGinley wouldn’t have been unduly upset by developments in the first round of the PGA at Medinah yesterday.

The one European to pass up the chance of playing in a crucial tournament where Ryder Cup points are at stake to attend the funeral in Portrush of Heather Clarke, has been clinging on to the 10th and last automatic European team place for the past few weeks.

In taking his decision to withdraw from this points-laden event, he fully realised that he could be overhauled by several of those competing at Medinah.