Golf a fickle business

There are more losers than winners in golf. Every week on the European Tour, a field of 165 takes to the first tee but only one walks away with the title. That makes 164 losers, and the crudest statistic in sport that not everyone can be a winner.

Two of the most famous casualties of Carnoustie could concur.

A month ago, Sergio Garcia won the Irish Open and, then, two weeks later, finished last in the British Open. In Carnoustie, Jean Van de Velde took a three shot lead down the last hole and ended up as the most famous loser of the claret jug. And Paul Lawrie, winner of the British Open, walked away from Straffan, his return to competition, in tied-13th position. Respectable, yes, but a further indication that golf is a fickle business.

The last time "El Nino" breezed down the 18th fairway on the last day of a tournament in Ireland, Garcia was flanked by huge crowds. Yesterday, the scene was a little more refined - but his disappointing performance at the K Club means the young Spaniard may yet change his short-term plans in a quest to make Europe's Ryder Cup team.

Originally, the European Open and the US PGA were to be his final two counting events in his campaign to gatecrash the party. However, a disappointing finish of 73 for 286 (hardly enough to make a significant contribution to his Ryder Cup points haul) meant Garcia was willing to acknowledge that he might have to return for the BMW in Munich the week after the PGA.

"It all depends on the US PGA. If I do well there, I may not need to come back. I want to try to get into the team as an automatic pick, and to do that I may have no option other than to come back for the final counting event in Germany. If I don't make it into the top 10, then I will just have to wait to see who is selected as a wild card. I hope it doesn't come down to that," said Garcia. "I know I'm hitting the ball well, and it will be nice to get to America and play on some fast greens."

Van de Velde is almost certain of making his debut Ryder Cup appearance but he, too, was disappointed with his performance in the European Open. "I didn't play particularly well, " he admitted, with tiredness creeping in. "It is going to be hard coming down the stretch over the next three weeks for many of us looking to get into the team."

Lawrie is in the team, but the two men who lost most at Carnoustie - Garcia, who was mauled by the wind and rough, and Van de Velde - are intent on joining him in Brookline.