Lyle backed for Ryder Cup 2010 captaincy

IAN Woosnam, Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup captain at the K Club in 2006, yesterday backed Sandy Lyle to be given the main job when the biennial match against the USA is held at Celtic Manor in 2010.

Of the ‘famous five’ who transformed the fortunes of European golf – Bernhard Langer, Seve Ballesteros and Nick Faldo were the others – the Scot is the only player so far not to be honoured with the captaincy in the Ryder Cup.

Speaking in America yesterday before making his debut this week on the Champions Tour, the Welshman said: “I think it’s going to be such a shame if Sandy doesn’t get the opportunity to have the captaincy.

“Maybe it would be nice if Sandy got it in Wales. He was the first [Briton] to win the Masters, and the first [Briton] to win the British Open since Tony Jacklin. He’s done a lot for golf in Britain and Europe and deserves to be that captain.”

Elsewhere, a fit-again Jose Maria Olazabal returns to golf today at the Andalucian Open at Aloha in southern Spain. On the US PGA Tour, the Zurich Classic starts today over the TPC Louisiana course at Avondale, while, on the women’s circuit, Scotland’s No1 Catriona Matthew starts her American season at the Safeway International in Arizona. Janice Moodie and Mhairi McKay are also in the field.