Maybin makes Cologne field

IF GARETH Maybin, the Ulsterman who celebrates his 29th birthday next week, required any affirmation that he is doing all the right things in his “rookie” season on the European Tour, it has come with his inclusion into the field for this week’s €2 million Mercedes Benz Championship in Cologne.

A place in this limited-field tournament promoted by Bernhard Langer is available to just 78 players, and Maybin – who has five top-10 finishes on tour this season with earnings of €453,258 – has earned a spot via a category rewarding the top 60 players in the Race to Dubai standings as of August 31st. Maybin is currently 57th in the rankings.

There is no cut in the Cologne tournament, with the 78 starters playing all four rounds. For Maybin, it represents a fantastic opportunity to bolster his position in the order of merit and, having last missed a cut at the Scottish Open back in July, he has shown a return to form in his last five tournaments. Maybin is part of a strong Irish contingent in Germany, where he will be joined by Irish Open champion Shane Lowry (who gets into the field as a winner of a Race to Dubai tournament), Graeme McDowell, Peter Lawrie, Damien McGrane, Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke.

Rory McIlroy, who remains third in the European Tour money list, has decided to forgo the Mercedes in order to play in this week’s Korean Open but will be back in Europe for the Vivendi Trophy in Paris on September 24th-27th in a Britain and Ireland team captained by Paul McGinley that takes on the Continent of Europe in Paris. After that, it will be a case of rolling up the sleeves in the 20 year-old’s quest to claim the maiden Race of Dubai as he returns to tournament play in the following week’s Dunhill Links in Scotland.

At this stage, it looks as if McIlroy will be the only Irish player on the BI team to face the continentals. Pádraig Harrington would qualify by right but he hasn’t factored the event into his schedule as he goes in search of the FedEx Cup title on the US Tour. The Dubliner won’t be playing in Europe again until the Dunhill Links.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Caldwell, who has struggled in his “rookie” season on the main tour and is currently positioned 244th in the rankings, is one of four Irish players competing in the Dutch Futures tournament on the Challenge Tour as he reassesses his options. Caldwell is joined in the Netherlands by Gareth Shaw, Michael McGeady and Colm Moriarty.