SEVE TROPHY:WORLD NUMBER two Lee Westwood believes Continental Europe start as favourites for the Vivendi Seve Trophy in Paris despite having lost the last five events.
Britain and Ireland have been supremely dominant since their continental counterparts won the inaugural contest in 2000.
In the absence of Luke Donald, world number two Westwood will spearhead the bid for a sixth victory. Even without third-placed Rory McIlroy, the side still has the two highest-ranked golfers, with Ian Poulter 18th in the world, while they have British Open champion Darren Clarke in the team.
However, Continental Europe’s strength comes in the form of Anders Hansen, Francesco Molinari and Thomas Bjorn at 25th, 26th and 27th in the world – three of five players in the top 40 compared to Britain and Ireland’s four.
And with the majority of the St-Nom-La-Breteche crowd behind them Westwood believes that tips the balance in favour of Continental Europe. “I don’t know whether it’s (the Britain and Ireland team) invincible,” said Westwood. “I think on paper the European side have got (more) players higher in the world rankings and I suppose with that they are slight favourites. It will be hard with the European team having all that home support.
“But I think a lot of the British players have played a lot of matchplay golf over the years and might have a few tricks up their sleeves.”
Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez will have the honour of hitting the first tee shot today in the opening fourballs in honour of his late friend Ballesteros after Britain and Ireland captain Paul McGinley relinquished the visiting team’s right to be first off.
Team-mate Matteo Manassero, on his Seve Trophy debut, will surpass another Spaniard Sergio Garcia to become the youngest player in the event. “Seve was my idol . . . I met him once and that meant a lot for me,” said the 18-year-old Italian, already the youngest British Amateur Champion and youngest player to make the cut at the Masters. “But it means even more for my first chance in the event to be when we are missing him for the first time. We’re going to hopefully give him a great honour.”
CONTINENTAL EUROPE
Captain: Jean van de Velde
Thomas Bjorn (Den)
Nicolas Colsaerts (Bel)
Anders Hansen (Den)
Peter Hanson (Swe)
Raphael Jacquelin (Fra)
Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spn)
Pablo Larrazabal (Spn)
Matteo Manassero (Ita)
Francesco Molinari (Ita)
BRITAIN AND IRELAND
Captain: Paul McGinley
Darren Clarke
Jamie Donaldson
Simon Dyson
Ross Fisher
Mark Foster
David Horsey
Scott Jamieson
Ian Poulter
Robert Rock
FORMAT
Today: five fourball matches. Friday: five fourball matches. Saturday: Four greensome matches, four foursome matches. Sunday: Ten singles matches.
TODAY’S MATCHES
10.35: Larrazabal and and Jimenez v Dyson and Donaldson
10.50: Hanson and Jacquelin v Fisher and Jamieson
11.05: Hansen and Molinari v Westwood and Foster
11.20: Manassero and Colsaerts v Clarke and Horsey
11.35: Bjorn snd Noren v Poulter and Rock
ON TV: Sky Sports from 10am
