Clarke wants Ryder Cup wild card

Golf International OpenSo, it has come to this. After a year-long qualifying campaign, the final euro and cent will be totted up at the conclusion of the BMW International Open here at the Nord-Eichrenried course, outside Munich, on Sunday evening and, when the numbers are crunched, Europe's captain Ian Woosnam will be left with the task of adding his two "wild card" picks to the 10 men who have played their way on to the team for the Ryder Cup at The K Club on September 22nd-24th.

Yesterday, when put under the microscope, Woosnam wasn't revealing too much about his intentions. Not initially, at any rate.

"There's a queue of players who are on my list to qualify or be picked, (and) I'm not going to talk about any player individually because I think it's very unfair," he remarked with a certain steeliness, adding: "I think it's going to be one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I've a lot of good friends out there who are desperate to be on the team. I've got to pick the two players who I think are going to be strongest for the team."

But when push came to shove, and despite a reticence to talk about specific players who may or may not be part of his team for next month's match with the Americans, Woosie acknowledged: "Darren (Clarke) is available to play in the Ryder Cup . . . he is a possible, yes."

This perception that Clarke will indeed get a wild card was also firmed-up by Padraig Harrington who, without naming names, remarked, "I think everybody believes one person is being picked, but I'm not getting into the politics of that."

However, a spokesman for Clarke's management company ISM confirmed the player has made it known to Woosnam that he would like to be considered for a wild card pick, adding: "Of course, Darren will abide by whatever decision is taken."

And, later, away from the question of picks but still on the qualification issue, Woosnam admitted that Jose Maria Olazabal, who has decided not to play in this final counting event although he is far from certain of securing an automatic place, has "left himself a little bit vulnerable . . . but that's his decision. I respect that."

Olazabal has gambled that, even if he is passed out by Colin Montgomerie or Paul Casey in the world points list, he has established a sufficiently big gap over 11th placed Paul Broadhurst in the European points list to remain in the team as an automatic qualifier.

In truth, though, nobody was any the wiser after the couple of glimpses into Woosnam's thought process about his possible picks ahead of this tournament, where the captain has had his request to play alongside Luke Donald for the first two rounds acceded to.

"I haven't played with him (before) and I'd like the chance to get to know him a little bit better. I didn't want to play with any of the other players in contention because I want them to get on with their own game and do the best they can," claimed Woosie.

Left unsaid, but probably providing a more meaningful indicator of a pick, was Lee Westwood's inclusion in the tournament. Although he pulled out of the pro-am, Westwood, who has been battling illness since Akron last week, got out of his sick bed after Woosnam pleaded with him to play. Given that Westwood, even if he won, could not play his way into an automatic place, the assumption must be that he is a favourite for the second wild card. We'll see.

The qualifying situation as it stands is that seven players - Donald, Sergio Garcia, David Howell, Henrik Stenson, Colin Montgomerie, Robert Karlsson and Paul Casey - are all guaranteed their places on the team.

Olazabal, fifth on the world points list but who would fall to the vulnerable 10th man on the other, secondary European list should Monty finish tied-47th or better here and acquire the necessary half-point to pass the Spaniard or for Casey to finish first or second to do the same, Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley occupy the other three places.

McGinley, who currently claims the 10th and final automatic place, has come to Munich previously requiring points to get himself across the line. The key?

"To remain in the present and focus on my own game and not to be looking around me too much," said the Dubliner.

"That will certainly be my focus this week, on Paul McGinley, and certainly not on what everybody else does. "

Coming in here, the permutations are such that the leading pursuers, Paul Broadhurst (top-three finish), Johan Edfors (top-two finish) and John Bickerton (win), could yet catch McGinley and play their way into the team.

And Thomas Bjorn could also make it if he won and Olazabal dropped out of fifth on the world points list to be the one overhauled off the European points list. But the chasers have considerable ground to make up.

For the first time in his 14-year professional career, McGinley has been put in a group alongside Harrington (the third spot is taken by Retief Goosen) and he believes the pairing will be a help rather than a distraction.

"He's one of my favourite players to play golf with in the whole world. I've been on tour now for 14 years and I've never, ever been drawn with Padraig in the first two rounds. Which is quite ironic, considering the draws in Europe are seeded and we're in the top bracket for TV," said McGinley.

One factor that could go in McGinley's favour in fending off those in pursuit of automatic places is that recent heavy rain has made the course play longer than it traditionally does.

It may not be the birdie fest of previous years. John Daly, for instance, was 27 under par when winning in 2001 and David Howell was 23 under last year.

Harrington finished one shot behind Daly in 2001, and he arrives back to a course where he has traditionally played well with his place on the Ryder Cup team all but assured. It would take a series of very unfortunate events for him to lose his place and further complicate Woosnam's wild card propositions.

"I wouldn't be a happy camper on Sunday evening if that were to happen," observed Harrington, who celebrates his 35th birthday today.