While speculation grows as to whether Mark James will be a playing member of this year's Ryder Cup team, the situation regarding his possible replacement as captain is especially intriguing. Word on the tour is that the triumphant leader of Valderrama, Seve Ballesteros, wants the job.
Never mind the notion of Ken Brown and Sam Torrance sharing the duties of captain, while James competes. Ballesteros considers himself to be a logical choice, given his successful term previously as captain which culminated in the victory over the Americans two years ago.
When the trophy was secure, the Spaniard dismissed any suggestion that he might continue as his predecessor Bernard Gallacher had done. But that was on the assumption that he could lift an ailing career and return as a player in the team. Which is not now on the cards.
Europe's Ryder Cup situation may become somewhat clearer when the Smurfit European Open starts on Friday at The K Club. With prize money of Stg£1.35 million at stake, out of which the winner will receive £225,000, the picture could change dramatically by next Monday night.
At the moment, James and Sergio Garcia are 11th and 12th in the qualifying table and there are only five counting events remaining - the European Open, the Scandinavian Masters, West of Ireland Classic, USPGA Championship and the BMW International.
Wouldn't it be fascinating if both Bernhard Langer and Garcia gained automatic places and James remained 11th in the table? Would he pick himself as a wild card, along with Jesper Parnevik?
Garcia could certainly use a boost after a disastrous British Open at Carnoustie, where he shot rounds of 89 and 83 to finish 150th. After the USPGA, he will be competing in the Sprint International in Denver, where Darren Clarke will be among the Europeans joining him.
Lee Westwood's victory in the Dutch Open last Sunday brings a timely boost to this week's tournament, which, along with Westwood will also have Europe's most successful players of the last month - David Park (European Grand Prix), Garcia (Murphy's Irish Open), Colin Montgomerie (Standard Life Loch Lomond) and Paul Lawrie (British Open).
"I enjoyed last year's tussle with Monty so much that I have my heart set on winning the Order of Merit," said Westwood yesterday. "This week could provide me with a good stepping stone. I like the course, the hotel, indeed the whole set-up at The K Club and it's nice to be going there at the peak of my form."
Meanwhile, Westwood and Clarke wish it to be known that they would like to be partners in the Ryder Cup at Brookline on September 24th to 26th. "As friends and knowing each other's game so well, I think we'd be a really good pairing," said Clarke, who won a four-ball with Montgomerie at Valderrama where Westwood played four matches with Nick Faldo, winning two of them.
Westwood and Clarke have also arranged to play Brookline on Sunday, August 8th, before heading on to Medinah for the USPGA Championship. They will be accompanied by their caddies and it is becoming increasingly likely that James and Brown will also make the trip.
There will be 13 Irish competitors in action this week. They are: Clarke, Paul McGinley, Padraig Harrington, Raymond Burns, Jimmy Heggarty, Damian McGrane, Robert Giles, Stephen Hamill, Damian Mooney, Philip Walton, Des Smyth, Eamonn Darcy and John McHenry.
For most of them, it has been a fairly lean season so far and any sort of a decent run would be welcome. But it could prove to be a minor milestone for Smyth in his ongoing battle to retain his player's card, having been a regular competitor since 1979.
After 17 events so far, Smyth is in 99th position in the Order of Merit with earnings of £55,102. By making the cut at The K Club on Saturday evening, he should top the £60,000 mark, which is considered to be the magic figure for survival this year.
As for places in the Alfred Dunhill Cup team, there is no serious challenge to Clarke, Harrington and McGinley. Nor is there likely to be over the next few years, unless Philip Walton can somehow regain the sort of confidence which made him such a formidable competitor in 1995, when he became a Ryder Cup hero.
Arising from the Open at Carnoustie, it is interesting to note that the champion, Lawrie, is now 53rd in the US money list with $546,805, which places him ahead of such notables as Greg Norman, Billy Mayfair and John Cook. And Jean Van de Velde is in 97th position ($289,026), four places ahead of Brian Henninger, who made such a strong challenge for the John Deere Classic last weekend.
