Langer fears Europe will be understrength

Ryder Cup captain Bernhard Langer is concerned Europe could go into September’s match without their strongest team.

Langer, in Augusta this week trying to win a third Masters title, knows that Jesper Parnevik, Luke Donald and others are debating whether to commit themselves to 11 European tour events this season.

They have been asked to do so by the end of next month and if they decide to concentrate on the US tour instead they will become ineligible for Ryder Cup selection – even as wild cards.

“It’s a problem,” admitted Langer. “That is the rule and we could have a long debate about whether it’s right or wrong.

“I would like to encourage them to play 11, but I know some will not. And I understand their position – I don’t want to downplay the Ryder Cup, but a career is more important than one match and they have decided to play on the US Tour.

“I am more in favour of everybody being available and I feel we need the top players, but I am only one of 16 or whatever.”

Langer sits on the European tour tournament committee which made the ruling.

A change in the qualifying system means that five of the team will come off a table of world ranking points earned wherever they play, but a stipulation of that is that only European tour members are considered.

Parnevik’s bid for a fourth cap has already suffered because his failure to play 11 events last season meant he did not collect any qualifying points until the start of this year.

He has had three top-seven finishes since, but he is not Langer’s only worry. “They are all a concern if they play well,” he commented.

Donald lost a play-off to John Daly for the Buick Invitational in February and was joint eighth in the BellSouth Classic in Atlanta on Sunday, while Carl Pettersson led the Honda Classic after an opening 63 last month.

Former Walker Cup star Donald said: “It’s a tricky one for me. There is no doubt I would love to play in the Ryder Cup, but I have made my home in the States now and I don’t think it would make sense to uproot myself and return to Europe just so that I can play the 11.”

He might be able to, however, if he climbs into the world’s top 50 and becomes exempt for the other three majors and World Championships this year.

They count towards the 11, but Donald is currently only 78th and could drop back by not being at Augusta this week.

Langer would take over from Jack Nicklaus as the oldest-ever winner of the Masters if he triumphs again, but last year he missed the halfway cut for the first time since his debut in 1982.

On the US Tour this season, however, he has made eight cuts out of eight and finished fifth in the Ford Championship and eighth in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.