Donald adds to Ryder intrigue

EUROPEAN wild card pick Luke Donald has rejected Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie’s assertion he has already told his players who their partners will be at Celtic Manor next Friday.

Speaking ahead of the Vivendi Cup tournament in Paris on Wednesday, Montgomerie said he had already decided his pairings for the opening series of matches and had told his players.

Montgomerie declined to name his pairings for the fourballs and foursomes, but did say he would use all 12 European team members during the opening day’s play at Celtic Manor.

“The players know already. It’s important to let the players know earlier than not. There’s no point in me keeping secrets,” Montgomerie said, although that was news to Donald.

“If he said that, he hasn’t told me yet,” Donald told ESPN.com.

“I have no idea. I haven’t talked to Monty.

“(Monty) texted me today, about half an hour ago. He said, ‘I’m looking forward to seeing you on Monday’.”

Donald was asked if he wished to be told who his first-day partner would be and he suggested it was too early for a decision to have been made.

“Obviously when we get there, he’ll ask us who we’d like to play with but in the end he’s going to make that decision.”

Both Montgomerie and American counterpart Corey Pavin are scheduled to make their Friday morning fourball pairings announcement next Thursday after 5pm ahead of the 7:45am start on Friday.