Lyle says he won't lose sleep if 2010 Ryder Cup captaincy is handed over to Olazabal

AFTER shooting 75 for 147, three over par, and hearing Jose Maria Olazabal had been approached to captain Europe in the Ryder Cup match at Celtic Manor in 2010, Sandy Lyle was in understandably phlegmatic mood at Augusta yesterday. If he's overlooked for the post, he won't lose any sleep over the snub.

Word that Olazabal had been approached by Thomas Bjorn on behalf of the players and asked about the captaincy at Celtic Manor – the European Tour won't make any official announcement about Nick Faldo's successor until after the match at Valhalla – left the Scot to reveal he too had been sounded out about the vacancy.

If the Spaniard is the first choice, then Lyle's dream of captaining Europe is over. The two-time major winner has long believed that Celtic Manor represents the last chance saloon for leading the continent against America. Bjorn in 2012 and Colin Montgomerie at Gleneagles in 2014 are both widely tipped to follow Olazabal. Lyle indicated he wouldn't accept the post after 2010 because he feels he'd be too old.

"There has been a little nudge towards me, yes, but that's as much as I know," he said. "Nothing's definite. I am in the dark as much as you are. I had a nudge months and months and months ago but I'm not saying where it was and who it was from I think there are two or three players right in the mix. Woosie, Olazabal (and me]. If they feel Olly should be captain for health reasons maybe, that might be in his favour.

"I won't go around stamping my feet and yelling if they don't select me. It would be very nice if they do but I won't lose sleep if it doesn't happen. It's not the end of the world. It would be a nice honour but life goes on."

Although the course has changed dramatically since Lyle first teed up here in 1980, the Scot still believes experience counts for something. The hard earned knowledge gleaned over three decades gives men such as Lyle an intimate understanding of the subtleties of one of the most nuanced lay-outs in world golf. Asked if a lifetime of playing golfer here was still an asset, Lyle replied: "Experience? Well, it does help to have that little bit of knowledge. I often look at the younger ones taking on certain shots and think to myself – mmh, you'll learn."


There's no such thing as a bullet-proof vest at Augusta, mind you. Past champions are just as exposed to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune as the rookies. Having lost momentum on Thursday when he dropped a shot at the par 5 15th, Lyle's testing run continued yesterday when he made back to back bogeys at the second and third holes.


Having stood on the 15th at three under in the first round, Lyle reached the fourth tee of the second round at two over. Haemorrhaging five shots in seven successive holes inevitably raised questions about the Scot's ability to stop the bleeding and re-group.


There's always been a fine line between triumph and disaster here. Having rattled up 6 at the par 5 second, Lyle over-cooked his approach at the short par 4 third and faced a tricky chip from the back of the green. With the pin positioned on a slope, it was difficult for Lyle to apply the breaks with spin and his chip almost ran off the front.


Years of experience remind you to be cautious on the world's slickest greens, but Lyle was too wary with his first putt and left himself six feet of pure speed to make bogey. His stroke, though, was impressively smooth. By the time he'd wafted an iron to the centre of the fourth green – although the tee was brought forward, the pin position was wickedly located on the far right of the green – Lyle was ready to take the stress out of his morning's work.


To his credit, he added the first birdie of the morning on the par 3 sixth – "birdies keep you going," he grinned – but gave another one back on the ninth. Out in 38, Lyle continued to struggle on the inward half.

He birdied the 13th, but there were more dropped shots at the 11th,12th and 16th before he summoned up the ghosts of 1988 on the last. Lyle's 6 iron to the green was a glorious reminder of past glories and left him with two feet for 3. On three over, with Trevor Immelman leading the way on eight under, Lyle's hopes of qualifying for the week-end on the ten shot rule had evaporated, but the birdie on the last gave him a fighting chance of making the cut.

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