Cejka briefly resuscitates Cup hopes

Germany’s Alex Cejka, needing something dramatic to boost his Ryder Cup wild card hopes, produced it for a time in Munich this morning.

Thought to be behind Colin Montgomerie and Luke Donald in the pecking order just two days before European captain Bernhard Langer has to make his decision, Cejka leapt into a two-stroke lead at the BMW International Open.

A brilliant five-wood shot from over 260 yards at the long 18th – the ninth hole of his second round – pulled up three feet from the flag.

And after playing partners Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke, already safely in Europe’s line-up for Detroit next month, had failed to make birdies, Cejka holed for eagle.

Having already had three birdies and a bogey on the back nine he turned in 32 and at eight under par was two in front of not only overnight leader Retief Goosen – yet to resume – but also England’s David Lynn.

However, Cejka failed to keep his charge going, bogeying the second and third and falling one behind Lynn, who was playing his first event since his maiden tour victory in the KLM Open in Holland three weeks ago.

American John Daly, winner of the title in 2001, had a taste of top spot again when he reached six under after five holes, but then came a double-bogey six at the 319-yard 16th, the hole where his compatriot Nathan Fritz ran up a 12 yesterday.

Another making his presence felt – and sealing a Ryder Cup debut for himself - was Paul Casey.

Virtually home and dry anyway at seventh in the points race entering this the final counting event, Casey birdied the 15th and 17th to stand five under par and joint fourth.

Among those alongside him was Montgomerie, another afternoon starter, as was Donald, round in a four-under 68 on the opening day.

Cejka came close to his first US Tour win only three weeks ago, an eagle at the penultimate hole from Australian Rod Pampling denying him – and then only because the event was being played under a format which rewarded eagles with five points.

He was also joint leading European with Westwood in ninth place at last week’s NEC World Championship in Akron.

In the battle for the last three automatic places David Howell stood one under par with eight to play, while Ian Poulter and 10th-placed Paul McGinley had still to tee off again at one over and two under respectively.

Pressing them hardest were Joakim Haeggman and Fredrik Jacobson and France’s Raphael Jacquelin. The two Swedes had to finish at worst fifth and were three under, but Jacquelin, who requires second place, fell back from five under to two under.

Daly, meanwhile, has spoken out about his exclusion from America’s Ryder Cup team, saying that the public and press campaign to get him a debut next month probably cost him one.

The controversial former US PGA and Open champion is still waiting to play in the match 13 years after his first major and after a season when he has shown a real return to form. Captain Hal Sutton selected Stewart Cink and 50-year-old Jay Haas instead.

“There was some talk on the Golf Channel that ‘John doesn’t fit the mould of team golf’, but I think I would be a great team player,” said Daly.

“I thought I did well in the Dunhill Cup for the US (he played three times at St Andrews). I thank the media and fans for kind of pushing Hal to pick me, but I think it kind of annoyed him, I really do.

“And then he comes out saying it’s not a personality contest. I think that pressuring Hal like that he might have just turned away from it. I never asked him or talked to him about it.”

Recovering alcoholic Daly won the PGA title in 1991, but the following day was left out by Dave Stockton and a month after his Open victory at St Andrews Lanny Wadkins chose not to have him on his line-up.

Having resumed with a bogey the 30-year-old from Stoke birdied the 12th, 13th and 18th for a one-stroke lead over Cejka, Goosen, Welshman Bradley Dredge, five under for the day after 13 holes, and also Jacobson, who matched Cejka’s eagle on the 18th and birdied the second.

That had implications for the cup points race, of course, but Howell had birdies in five holes around the turn to go to four under and remained on course for the team.

It added to the pressure on Poulter and McGinley once they got back onto the course after lunch, however.