Cup debate rumbles on

There are two things happening at the Forest of Arden this weekend – a golf championship and a controversy which is dividing the European Tour.

The British Masters tournament, in which Swede Patrik Sjoland led by a stroke from Brian Davis and Eduardo Romero at halfway, will end tomorrow. The debate will run and run.

In a move they knew could present some of their best players with a real dilemma, the tour made it a stipulation for the Ryder Cup that only members were eligible – and to be members they had to commit to 11 tour events this season.

Now Jesper Parnevik, Carl Pettersson and Mathias Gronberg, all of them tour winners who decided to join the US Tour, have said they are not prepared to do that. England’s Luke Donald may join them.

Although it will be a relief to catain Bernhard Langer that Sergio Garcia, fourth in the Masters last month, Fredrik Jacobson, fourth on the Order of Merit last year, and Alex Cejka, fourth in the US PGA last August, have committed to the 11 the possibility exists that any of the other four could win a Major title this summer and not face the Americans in Detroit in September.

It is a situation which Jamie Spence, chairman of the tour’s tournament committee, admits would leave egg on lots of faces.

Lee Westwood, fourth at the Forest of Arden after his 65 yesterday and on course to claim one of the places in Bernhard Langer’s team, did not mince his words when asked what he thought.

“The last time I checked the Ryder Cup was between Europeans and Americans, not the European Tour and the US PGA Tour,” he said.

“If you ask Jesper where he is from he will say Sweden, while Luke Donald considers himself English, plays out of England and has an English flag on his golf bag.

“He has always set out his stall to play on the US Tour. Why should he be penalised for doing that and living his dream and not being able to play in the Ryder Cup?

“I can see why the European Tour do it and make people play 11 because they want players to play on the European Tour, but it’s disappointing if you ask me.

“I thought the idea was to put out our best side and I think if Luke qualifies through getting enough world ranking points but not playing 11 counting events I think it would be a shame.”

For the first time this year five players will qualify off a table based on performance all around the globe, a change that was made with those who have joined the US Tour in mind.

But those who defend the 11-event rule believe it is fair to expect a commitment to the European Tour still.

Spence stated: “We have a responsibility to all our members and not just to those who choose to play in the States.

“An increasing number of guys are chasing the dollar and that is their choice, but what we require is that they still play 11 of our events. With five of them in America we don’t think that’s too much to ask.

“We are trying to do our best for the European Tour. Where are our future Seve Ballesteroses going to come from if we don’t?”

Another committee member, Andrew Coltart, added: “I am scared of it reaching a point where there are players in the Ryder Cup team who don’t play in Europe at all. How would the tour benefit from that?

“I think we have a helluva lot of good golfers who are committed. I think we will have a fantastic team.”

Davis and Westwood will be much closer to it if they continue how they have started this week. They are fifth and sixth in the cup standings.

Sjoland will come into the reckoning, of course, if he stays out in front and claims the first prize, while for 49-year-old Romero the incentive is to become the oldest-ever winner on the circuit.

The Argentine would have been leading but for a two-stroke penalty yesterday after his ball moved as he was about to putt.