Woosie puts Cup captaincy issue aside

Ian Woosnam put the issue of Ryder Cup captaincy to one side to concentrate on his golf in the first round of the Lancome Trophy today.

Woosnam, vice-captain at The Belfry a fortnight ago, was yesterday urged to apply to lead the European side at Oakland Hills in two years’ time by victorious skipper Sam Torrance.

The Welshman has previously said he would be happy to wait until the contest is staged in Wales for the first time, at Celtic Manor in 2010, before becoming captain, but Torrance feels that would be too late.

Woosnam would be 52 by then and out of touch with the players on his team, the same reason why Torrance decided not to apply for a second stint as captain.

The major stumbling block would appear to be if Woosnam decides to try and qualify to play for the team instead of captain it, something he would have achieved last time if not for the two-shot penalty he received at the Open at Royal Lytham for carrying 15 clubs in his bag at the start of the final round.

The qualifying period for the 2004 contest does not begin until next September, but Woosnam is still keen to claim his 30th European Tour title before the defence of his World Matchplay title at Wentworth next week.

The 44-year-old made a steady start at St Nom La Breteche by opening with five pars in a row, but that left him four shots behind early pacesetter Jorge Berendt, the Argentinian carding four birdies in his opening seven holes.

Starting from the 10th, Woosnam was playing alongside two of the four Ryder Cup stars in the field, Thomas Bjorn also starting with five pars while Colin Montgomerie had birdied the 13th but ran up a double-bogey six on the next to drop back to one over.