Weather can help Europe win - Woosnam

Miserable weather would not have been high on the list of all the factors meant to favour the European team in this weekend’s Ryder Cup.

But while the Irish Tourist Board must be dreading a repeat of the gale-force winds and rain which forced the K Club to be closed for more than three hours yesterday, European captain Ian Woosnam was taking a quite different view.

“I’d have to say it’s favourable for us because we’ve played much more in these conditions than what the Americans would do,” said Woosnam, who was delighted his players still went out to practice in front of the estimated 45,000 fans desperate to watch the teams in action.

“A lot of players hit it very high and you’ve got to learn to keep it down in this wind. The air is much heavier in America in my experience.

“When the ball moves, whether you hit a slice or a draw, it moves twice as much here as it does in America.”

At least one of his players agreed with Woosnam, Spain’s Sergio Garcia adding: “I would probably say it gives us a little edge.

“It’s going to be difficult for everybody but I’ll say we’re more used to playing these kind of conditions.

“I think it brings a lot of feel into play, your creativity. I’ve always felt when the wind has been blowing at the Open I could move up the leaderboard a bit easier than if I had to play just normal golf where it’s ‘hit it close and putt it in’.”

Unsurprisingly, Tiger Woods disagreed, despite his experience of the Open at Muirfield in 2002 when he slumped to a third-round 81 in driving wind and rain.

“I think we’ve all played in weather like this, we’ve all played in bad weather around the world, so that’s not anything new,” said America’s world number one.

“It’s all about quality of ball-striking, controlling your flight. That’s something all these guys can do.”

Whatever the weather, Europe are strong favourites to win the trophy for what in their case would be an unprecedented third straight time, especially following the record nine-point triumph at Oakland Hills two years ago.

Nine of that team are back at the K Club, with Miguel Angel Jimenez, Thomas Levet and Ian Poulter replaced by Jose Maria Olazabal and rookies Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson.

The American team features four rookies alongside the top three ranked players in the world in Woods, Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk.

But Colin Montgomerie feels Europe’s strength in depth makes this their strongest squad ever – and it is hard to argue.

Ten of the 12 players are ranked in the world’s top 50, with only Lee Westwood (51) and Paul McGinley (53) outside. But it is the proliferation of names inside the top 20 which offers most encouragement for those hoping for a home success as Ireland hosts the Ryder Cup for the first time.

Sergio Garcia, Luke Donald, Stenson, David Howell, Colin Montgomerie, Paul Casey, Padraig Harrington and Olazabal are ranked between eighth and 19th, with Darren Clarke 24th and Robert Karlsson 36th.

The rookie Swedish pair of Karlsson and Stenson – winner of the last qualifying event in Munich three weeks ago – are contenders to play the opening round of fourballs tomorrow morning, weather permitting.

Woosnam may opt, however, for the experience of Garcia with Donald, Casey and Howell, Westwood and Clarke and Montgomerie and Harrington when he hands in his pairings at 2pm this afternoon.

Three of counterpart Tom Lehman’s pairings are no secret, with Woods and Furyk and Mickelson and DiMarco renewing their successful partnerships from the Presidents Cup, while Chad Campbell will partner David Toms.

That leaves the experienced wildcard Stewart Cink to probably partner one of the rookies, Zach Johnson, Vaughn Taylor, Brett Wetterich and JJ Henry.

Play is scheduled to get underway at 8am tomorrow, with the afternoon foursomes starting from 1:30pm. The same format is repeated on Saturday with 12 singles matches played on Sunday.

The first team to 14 and a half points will lift the trophy, although Europe, as holders, would retain it in the event of a 14-14 tie.