2nd RYDER CUP HONOUR COULD BE PAUL LAWRIE'S 2012 TARGET

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Could Paul Lawrie, by then 43, win a second Ryder Cup cap at Medinah, Chicago in 2012 - 13 years after his one and only appearance in 1999, the year the Aberdonian won the Open at Carnoustie?

The answer must be a definite "Yes" if he produces more performances like last weekend's chasing home winner Alvaros Quiros at Dubai and, a few months earlier, victory in the Andalucia Open.
There are two Ryder Cup qualifying points lists - a European one and a World one.
The leading five on the European points list at the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles on Sunday, August 26 next year will gain automatic selection to the team of 12 sklppered by Jose Maria Olazabal.
Paul Lawrie is sixth on the European list at the moment, behind Martin Kaymer, Rory McIlroy, Alvaro Quiros and Sergio Garcia.
The leading five points-earners on the World Ryder Cup points list, once those who have made up the top five in the European list are deleted, will also be automatic selections.
Olazabal will have two wild-card selections to add to the 10 qualifiers by the points systems.
If the Europe team were to be selected today it would be:
From the European list -
1 Martin Kaymer, 2 Rory McIlroy, 3 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, 4 Alvaro Quiros, 5 Sergio Garcia.
From the World list -
2 Luke Donald, 5 Justin Rose, 7 Graeme McDowell, 9 Lee Westwood, 10 Joost Luiten.
+ Olazabal's two wild-card selections.

TOP TEN IN EUROPEAN RYDER CUP POINTS TABLE (December 12)
1 Martin Kaymer 1,284,550.37
2 Rory McIlroy 1,236,326,08.
3 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano 1,099,585.09
4 Alvaro Quiros 1,047,153.32
5 Sergio Garcia 938,511.58.
6 Paul Lawrie 747,705.17
7 Michael Hoey 711.788.31
8 Graeme McDowell 679,180.81
9 Joost Luiten 669,621.62
10 Peter Hanson 646.533.67

TOP TEN IN WORLD RYDER CUP POINTS TABLE (December 12)
1 Rory McIlroy 137.52
2 Luke Donald 130.36
3 Martin Kaymer 110.29
4 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano 92.83
5 Justin Rose 81.46
6 Sergio Garcia 78.37
7 Graeme McDowell 70.25
8 Alvaro Quiros 68.79
9 Lee Westwood 66.61
10 Joost Luiten 65.16

FLASHBACK TO THE 1999 RYDER CUP MATCH AT BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.
Scoreline: UNITED STATES 14.5, EUROPE 13.5
Paul Lawrie gained 3.5pt out of a possible 5.
He partnered Colin Montgomrie in the foursomes and four-balls to two wins, one square match and one defeat.

In the last-day singles, "batting" No 12 in the singles, Lawrie beat Jeff Maggert 4 and 3 after United States had won the first six singles with defeats for Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke, Jarmo Sandelin, Jean Van de Velde, Andrew Coltart (by Tiger Woods) and Jesper Parnevik.

Mark James was the Europe team captain; Ben Crenshaw the winning skipper.

Andrew Coltart did not get a game in the four sessions of play over the first two days - and was then pitched in against a Tiger Woods at his peak although, in fairness to James, he was not to know that Coltart, whom he obviously felt was not in good enough nick to play in the foursomes or four-balls, would draw the short straw and get a Tiger by the tail.

Others in the Europe team were: Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Jose Maria Olazabal.

The American team was: Tom Lehman, Hal Sutton, Phil Mickelson, Davis Love, Tiger Woods, David Duval, Mark O'Meara, Steve Pate, Justin Leonard, Payne Stewart, Jim Furyk, Jeff Maggert.