A PAIR of good rounds in Switzerland have revived Paul McGinley's hopes of making next year's European Ryder Cup team.
McGinley, who played on three successive winning Ryder Cup teams, is aiming for a fourth career appearance when the competition is played at Celtic Manor in Wales next October.
Following his third winning appearance in 2006 at The K Club outside D
ublin, McGinley's game went into a tailspin in 2007.
Although his game improved last year, it wasn't enough to earn a spot on the European team that lost to the United States in Kentucky last September. This year hasn't been much better, until this week. The 42-year-old Irishman shot rounds of 66 and 68 over the mountain course at Crans-sur-Sierre to grab a share of third place halfway through the European Masters.
"I don't think I'm on Monty's list, though the Paul McGinley who played well could very well make the side," he said. "If the golf I've played is the quality of golf I am going to play through the selection campaign, then I am going to be close to making the team.
"It's a long time since I have played this consistently. I swung the club well, hit a lot of fairways and greens in regulation. I made a lot of opportunities."
After he slipped two strokes to his 68 yesterday, McGinley said his game had dropped about 10 per cent from the performance he produced a day earlier.
Ryder Cup star Oliver Wilson admitted he stunned even himself by making the cut. Part of Nick Faldo's team in Kentucky 12 months ago, Wilson fought off fatigue to score a second-round 68.
"I'm really, really tired and playing awful," said the 28-year-old, who has already decided to pull out of next week's £1.7million Mercedes-Benz Championship in Cologne – despite the fact there are only 78 players in the field and no cut. "I'm amazed I got through to the weekend here," he added. "I've been horrific and I don't feel I can do any better than I am because I've been grinding so hard. If I go next week I'll be middle of the pack and I think taking two weeks off is going to be more beneficial than finishing 30th to 40th there."
Wilson is ninth on the European money list with over £1million earned already. At four under par – the same as Rory McIlroy and Lee Westwood – he is not out of the running yet for the first prize of over £292,000 tomorrow. But the effort he has put into the season, on and off the course, is taking its toll.
"I've been working really hard and overdone it a bit, but once I made the decision not to go to Germany I knew it was the right thing to do. My attitude is better and I want to make the most out of this week."
