ENGLAND'S Oliver Wilson was doing nothing to ease his nerves today when the final counting event for Europe's Ryder Cup team began at windy Gleneagles.
In the 10th and last automatic qualifying spot Wilson was fully aware that three players – Martin Kaymer, Ross Fisher and Nick Dougherty – were able to deny him a debut.
But with three holes to go in his opening round the 27-year-old, who might be
come the first player to represent Europe without ever winning a tournament, was down on three over par.
That included a double bogey six on the 461-yard fifth, his 14th, where he missed the green and three-putted – as did playing partner Lee Westwood from barely three feet.
Westwood, spared the stress of fighting for a cup place, had made two 30-footers on the inward half and shared the lead at one point, but by dropping back to level par he was five adrift of French pacesetter Gregory Havret.
Wilson, eight behind, was trying to focus on his own game rather than worry about the others, but the good news for him if he wanted it was that Kaymer, his closest challenger, was also three over.
The 23-year-old German also had a double bogey on his card. That came on the 320-yard 14th when his wayward drive into thick rough was not found until after the permitted five minute search had elapsed.
Fisher, needing a third place finish to overhaul Wilson should he miss the cut tomorrow, was among the later starters, while Dougherty had to be first or second and at level par with three to play was in a share of 13th spot.
Paul McGinley, a member of the last three sides and runner-up to Darren Clarke in Holland last weekend, was still clinging to the hope that he might enter captain Nick Faldo's head for a wild card if he performs well in the last qualifying event.
But it was not looking good. He was another at three over after 15 holes.
Other later starters were Justin Rose and Soren Hansen, eighth and ninth on the table and not yet safe, plus Clarke and Colin Montgomerie, two big guns whose cup fate was in the hands of Faldo.
The full article contains 383 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
