McGinley fighting for Cup place

Ryder Cup hero Paul McGinley is determined to keep “chiselling away” at the points necessary to ensure a place in what he believes will be the strongest European team ever.

McGinley, who holed the winning putt at The Belfry in 2002 and was unbeaten in three matches at Oakland Hills in 2004, looked certain to make the team after winning the Volvo Masters last season, but has slowly slipped down the standings and currently occupies the final automatic qualifying place.

After this week’s KLM Open, just three weeks will remain before the team is finalised but there could still be plenty of changes with next week’s USPGA Championship at Medinah followed by the lucrative WGC Bridgestone Invitational and the final counting event, the BMW International, in Munich.

And McGinley knows he needs at least one more good performance to seal his place in the side after struggling to make the halfway cut in Zandvoort.

“It was a battle,” admitted the 39-year-old Dubliner after rounds of 72 and 70 left him on level par, six shots behind clubhouse leader Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark midway through a second round which would not be completed on schedule on Friday after twice being interrupted by thunderstorms.

“My short game was very poor, if it had been normal I’d have been three or four shots better. I’m still there though and you have to keep chiselling away and keep earning as many Ryder Cup points as you can.

“I’m going to have to make a couple of hundred thousand more. Somebody is going to do something but the ball is in my court fortunately and the better I play the more pressure I put on them. I am looking at myself and I have to go forward because I have a lot of respect for the guys behind me.

“Thomas Bjorn was second in the USPGA last year, Lee Westwood is on a great run of form and guys like (Johan) Edfors have won three times this year. Playing in America next week will give him a big buzz so there is a lot of water to go under the bridge before anything is decided.”

McGinley is scheduled to play in all three of the remaining tournaments but added: “It’s about making it count. I have to play well. Somebody always catches fire.

“This is going to be the strongest European team ever, the points are already higher than everyone expected, I think they are 30% up on last time, and it just shows you the quality of the tour.

“Nothing has come easy to me this season. I think I’ve missed six cuts by a single shot, two of those were in the US Open and Open Championship, and I also had my knee operation which set me back. I’ve not created any momentum and sometimes you have to do it the hard way. I’ve got to fight and work my way out of it.

“Woosie (European captain Ian Woosnam) has spoken to me, but only as much as he’s speaking to the other guys. He’s done exactly what a captain should be doing, he’s not been on your case but has been very supportive.”

More than four hours’ play was lost due to the two thunderstorms, meaning most of the afternoon starters would have to return to the course on Saturday morning to complete their second rounds.

Colin Montgomerie was among those affected, the 43-year-old Scot level par for the tournament after five holes of his second round.

Kjeldsen enjoyed a one-shot lead over Ireland’s Damien McGrane after consecutive rounds of 68, while Yorkshire’s Simon Dyson was also safely in the clubhouse on four under par.