No rush for Langer decision

Bernhard Langer has been told he does not need to rush into a decision on whether he is interested in becoming Europe’s next Ryder Cup captain.

The European Tour’s players’ committee, of which the German is a member, meets on December 17. But while the qualifying system could well be changed then, the successor to Sam Torrance is not likely to be named until well into next year.

Ian Woosnam, vice-captain for The Belfry win in September, has put his name forward, while Nick Faldo has withdrawn his because he says he wants to play in the match again.

But Langer is still considering his options and says he has been told by the tour’s executive director Ken Schofield that he does not have to give an answer by December 17.

Qualifying does not start until next September and Langer said: “We don’t have to make a decision for another six or eight months.

“If I had a choice between being captain or being a player next time I would probably choose playing because I’d be silly not to.”

One possibility is that Langer and Woosnam agree for one or other to be the captain in 2004 and the other in 2006, with the proviso that if the 2004 captain makes the side the other takes over at short notice.

As for the qualifying system, under consideration is the incorporation of the world rankings to some extent so that those who play a lot in America are not left fighting for wild card spots.