Rival Ryder Cup captains here to play the long game

Watching and waiting. They may be occupying different vantage points during the Masters this week but for Ryder Cup captains Paul McGinley and Tom Watson, the task is exactly the same as they scout potential team members for Gleneagles this September.

Europe’s captain McGinley, charged with defending the famous trophy which predecessor Jose Maria Olazabal retained so miraculously at Medinah in 2012, has sworn not to reach any conclusions about the make-up of his team until at least August, giving himself a month to make up his mind on his wildcard choices before qualification closes at the end of that month.

Yet that does not stop him observing the Europeans at every opportunity, and he is doing so this week from the Sky Sports commentary box at Augusta.

The Irishman was at the course bright and early yesterday as play got under way on the first morning, filming around the course before settling down with microphone in hand to comment on his European Tour contemporaries when Sky’s broadcast began in the evening back home.

Two-time Masters champion Watson, meanwhile, had an even closer view as he kept a 8.51am first round tee time with rising American star Billy Horschel and Zimbabwe’s Brendan de Jonge.

At age 64, and 15 years removed from the PGA Tour circus his USA team will be assembled from, Watson readily admits he is in the business of getting to know his players a little better and playing the Masters, both in preparation and under tournament conditions, certainly helps the eight-time Major champion tick that box.

“I played with Jimmy Walker, a practice round with him. He’s a wonderful player. I had a chance to sit down with a couple of the players and talk with them. I’ll have a chance to get to know the players and them get to know me a little bit,” Watson said.

“I’m going to play the Heritage next week, which I haven’t played in years. The reason is I want to go see some of the younger players there. I’ll be able to see them at the Greenbrier Classic, I’ll be able to see them at the Open Championship, and the PGA. I’ll have a chance to see them at the Players.”

The way things stand, his forward planning may be a wise move as after an opening six-over-par 78 at the place he pulled on a green jacket in 1977 and ‘81, the US captain may not be around at the weekend. He cut a frustrated figure in the Georgia sunshine.

“I had too many uneven lies I didn’t deal with very well today, and I putted lousy,” was Watson’s verdict. “I’m frustrated that I didn’t manage those lies like I know sometimes I can. I didn’t manage those lies today and I’m disappointed I shot 78.

“That’s the score I’ve been shooting the last couple years in the first couple of rounds. It’s not very good.”