Gallacher calls for double decision
Former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher believes Ian Woosnam and Nick Faldo should be named as Europe’s next two skippers.
Woosnam and Faldo have only one more day to wait before discovering which of them is to be the next captain at the K Club near Dublin in September next year.
Although Sandy Lyle has also declared an interest, the vote taken in Dubai by the players’ committee is firmly expected to come down to the two former partners with 19 caps between them.
Faldo wins in that department by 11 to eight – he is also the record points-scorer – but Woosnam has been cast as favourite to move into the seat vacated by Bernhard Langer following the record-breaking win in Detroit last September.
Gallacher would back that decision, but would also like to see Faldo compensated by being named captain for the 37th staging of the event in Louisville in 2008.
“The feeling is that Ian Woosnam just might be more in touch with the present group of players,” Gallacher told Sky Sports News.
“Nick had great success in America, is well known in America, and in four years’ time there will be different players in the frame, people like Luke Donald and Ian Poulter who looked up to Nick Faldo as their hero.”
Woosnam served as Sam Torrance’s assistant for the 2002 victory at The Belfry and wanted to be captain last year.
Faldo is standing for the first time and his last involvement in the match was to have a good luck letter to the 1999 team thrown in a dustbin by then captain Mark James.
The result of the vote – unless it leaks out first – will be announced tomorrow, coincidentally Woosnam’s 47th birthday.
Four of the 2004 side are on the committee making the decision – Colin Montgomerie, Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley and Miguel Angel Jimenez. So is Langer and his two assistants at Oakland Hills, Thomas Bjorn and Joakim Haeggman.
Andrew Coltart and vice-chairman Jean Van de Velde played in America in 1999 and the other members are all former tour winners – chairman Jamie Spence, Roger Chapman, Henrik Stenson, Mark Roe and Robert Lee, now best known as a television commentator.
Not all of them will be at the meeting, but their opinions have all been sought.
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