Monday, May 24, 2010

Justin Rose calm on Ryder Cup place ahead of Wentworth


England's Justin Rose says is not going to alter his playing schedule to try to qualify for Europe's Ryder Cup team, despite being a long way off the pace.

The 29-year-old, who plays his first European Tour event of the year in the PGA Championship at Wentworth this week, is 67th in the world rankings.

Rose is far from certain of a place for the clash at Celtic Manor in September.

"I am not going to go chasing around the world to get into the team - I have to back myself to play well," he said.

Rose played in the defeat to the United States at Valhalla two years ago and was one of the better performers, winning three points out of a possible four.

But he failed to qualify for April's Masters and is also in danger of not making next month's US Open or the Open at St Andrews in July, absences which would further hamper his chances of making the European team for the clash in Wales later this year.

"I chased a place in the last team because I was close and it was about giving myself the very best opportunity," he added.

"If I play well enough in America in the summer then it takes a lot of the pressure off me to come back here and catch up."

As things stand, five of the nine players in automatic qualifying positions for Colin Montgomerie's European side are uncapped.

Rory McIlroy, Ross McGowan, Martin Kaymer, Alvaro Quiros and Simon Dyson are all in prime position for a place in the Ryder Cup, and all five are at Wentworth this week for the European Tour's flagship event.

In only his second full season on the circuit, 28-year-old McGowan carded a round of 60 in his Madrid Masters win last October and finished second at the Dubai World Championship.

The Surrey golfer has made a quiet start to 2010, but he did defeat then world number two Steve Stricker at the Accenture Match Play in February.

Kaymer and the big-hitting Quiros have already registered wins this season, the 25-year-old German in Abu Dhabi and Quiros in his home Spanish Open.

Dyson burst into contention for a Ryder Cup place with victory in the Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews seven months ago, but has not had a top 10 finish yet this season.

Ian Poulter will be in action at Wentworth if a neck strain allows but has ruled out competing at the Wales Open at Celtic Manor in two weeks - despite Montgomerie urging as many of his potential team to play as possible.

"I would like to be there, but it just doesn't fit into my schedule," Poulter said.

"It's not a course I don't know. Twelve of the holes for the Ryder Cup we played when I won the (2003) Wales Open.

"I've got to learn six holes. For my first two Ryder Cups I'd not seen either course until the week of the match."

Meanwhile, Paul Casey - another man likely to figure for Europe against the US - will return to the famous Surrey course to defend the title when the event gets under way on Thursday.

Ryder Cup Hospitality

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