Weakened field a mixed blessing - McGinley

Paul McGinley has expressed his disappointment at the number of big names missing from this week’s World Cup in Portugal – even though it improves the chances of he and Padraig Harrington regaining the title and walking away with almost £400,000 each.

McGinley, who combined with his fellow Dubliner for victory in America in 1997, said: “It’s disappointing it does not get a stronger field.

“There’s a huge amount of history and it’s a shame it does not attract the top players in the world.

“It’s important to us – we don’t view it the same way. I’ve never missed an opportunity to play and I never would.

“You need to speak to those who aren’t playing for the reasons why not.”

England send their top two in David Howell – conqueror of Tiger Woods in Shanghai on Sunday – and Luke Donald, but Colin Montgomerie’s decision to play in Japan instead means Scotland are represented by Stephen Gallacher and Scott Drummond.

The list of absentees is as long as it was last year when Donald and Paul Casey pipped Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jimenez by one in Seville, with Harrington and McGinley third.

America’s duo then were Scott Verplank and Bob Tway. This time Stewart Cink accepted an invitation rejected by their leading eight – Woods, Phil Mickelson, Chris DiMarco, Jim Furyk, Kenny Perry, David Toms, Davis Love and Fred Couples - and he chose up-and-coming Zach Johnson as his partner.

The system used is that the leading 18 players of different nationalities in the world rankings are eligible and if they enter then they select a team-mate.

But in addition to the United States stay-aways there is no Ernie Els or Retief Goosen for South Africa and the decisions of Vijay Singh, Michael Campbell, David Smail, Mike Weir, Stephen Ames, Nick Price and Thongchai Jaidee not to play mean Fiji, New Zealand, Trinidad and Tobago, Zimbabwe and Thailand are not even in the field.

Even this Monday the European tour website could not name the partners for Japan’s Yasuharu Imano – their eighth-ranked player – and South Korea’s KJ Choi, while the total number of rejections is a staggering 31.

Harrington commented: “I like the World Cup and I am keen to play. I just like representing Ireland – it's a big deal for me and for Paul.

“There are not that many opportunities in pro golf when you can represent your country and this is one of them.

“It comes down to what you played as a kid. Golf is a selfish game, but myself and Paul played team golf for Ireland as youngsters and Ireland is a country that excels in team events.”

Wales have Stephen Dodd and Bradley Dredge, 75th and 82nd in the world, but at least their top two.

In addition to the four home nations America, Argentina, Australia, Denmark, France, Germany, Holland, India, Japan, Paraguay, South Africa, Korea, Spain and Sweden were exempt.

Portugal have a place as hosts and Colombia, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan and Venezuela complete the 24-team line-up after coming through qualifying.

Since the event came under the umbrella of the World Golf Championships in 2000 – Woods and David Duval won that year – it has switched to two rounds of foursomes and two of fourballs.

It began way back in 1953 as the Canada Cup. Ben Hogan and Sam Snead triumphed three years later, Snead and Arnold Palmer won twice, Palmer and Jack Nicklaus four times together and Couples and Love had four successive victories.

Scotland have yet to win the event, but England have taken the title twice - Nick Faldo and David Carter in New Zealand in 1998, then Donald and Casey a year ago – while Ian Woosnam and David Llewellyn were champions in 1987 and Harrington and McGinley followed Harry Bradshaw and Christy O’Connor in 1958 as Irish winners.