Haeggman reveals Ryder Cup hurt

Of the 15 Europeans taking part in the Accenture World Match Play Championship in California this week none has a story to tell quite like that of Sweden’s Joakim Haeggman.

Two years ago the 35-year-old was out of golf for seven months after breaking his ankle in a game of ice hockey.

This time last season he was not in the world’s top 300 and could not even be sure that he would still be a member of the European tour come 2005.

But now here he is at La Costa as one of the sport’s elite, competing for a first prize of €1.2m and involved in his first match-play event since he became the first Swede ever to appear in the Ryder Cup in 1993.

Haeggman, who faced Australian Stuart Appleby in today’s first round following yesterday’s complete wash-out, also has a debut in the Masters at Augusta to look forward to in April. No wonder there is a smile on his face.

Behind the smile, though, one of the most bubbly characters on the circuit has spoken of the mixed emotions he felt during last September’s Ryder Cup when he was part of Bernhard Langer’s backroom team.

“I don’t think anybody saw it during the week because my job was to do what I could to help the team,” he said. “But inside I was hurting and it was tough emotionally for me. At the end of the week I was a bit flat because I had so wanted to be playing myself.

“I was at The Belfry in 2002 as one of the assistants as well, but that was not difficult because I did not come close to making the side. Last year, though, I was ahead of some of them on the world rankings and ahead of some of them on the Order of Merit.

“I am sure Thomas Bjorn felt a bit like I did, but at least we got to be a part of the victory.”

It had to be really hard for Freddie Jacobson, the fourth-highest European on the world rankings, who just missed out on qualifying and then did not get a wild card.

“Luke Donald got it instead and nobody can say Bernhard did not make the right choice. But I felt for Freddie.”

Now Haeggman, Bjorn and Jacobson all have the chance to show what they can do.

Bjorn opens against South African Rory Sabbatini, Jacobson against Chad Campbell, the American who lost a play-off to Adam Scott for the Nissan Open in Los Angeles on Monday after rain cut the tournament to 36 holes.

Ten of the European Ryder Cup team have made the 64-man event, the missing two being Colin Montgomerie and Paul McGinley.