European Tour Insider: Pavin, Monty in Wales
By Nick Dye, European Tour Insider
Articles and speculation about a Ryder Cup that is more than a year away can be extremely tedious but there's a relevance, appropriateness and excitement about them this week.
That's because Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin will be the guest of honor in the Valleys as the former U.S. Open champion gets a first taste of the Twenty Ten course at the Celtic Manor Wales Open.
Pavin and his opposite number Colin Montgomerie will see how 2010's venue is taking shape and be able to discuss arrangements and intentions.
They can assess how potential team members might handle the layout shaped by the hills of the Usk Valley. Monty can suggest alterations which may favor his European charges.
The captains' wives -- Lisa Pavin and Gaynor Montgomerie -- will play their part too, discussing their plans for the following September. Pavin even intends to try a few of the local hostelries.
"We need to keep this wonderful event in perspective," he said. "Don't be surprised to find us hanging out in pubs ... enjoying friendly banter."
MEMORY LANE
While Pavin is paying a first visit to this part of Wales, he's quick to point out his career effectively began on this side of the Atlantic.
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"I started my professional golf career in Europe and have extremely fond memories of those days and the wonderful people that I encountered along the way," he said.
Pavin finished third to former European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance in his first event, the Scandinavian Open in Stockholm in 2003 with Craig Stadler separating the two. He then won the Lufthansa German Open later in the month.
Pavin arrives in Wales in good shape too, having closed with a 65 in claiming a top-20 finish at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
That said, he has missed more cuts than Montgomerie this season, though the Scot is downcast about his form and inability to challenge over weekends.
SUNDANCE
Monty was outside the top 50 at the end of last week's European Open at The London Club -- a full 12 strokes behind the surprise winner Christian Cevaer.
The Frenchman had been languishing down at No. 449 in the world rankings and had not managed a top-30 finish all season, though he had shown signs of a return to form at the BMW Italian Open before falling away.
Yet Cevaer played the most difficult hole of the European Tour season superbly all week, and the closing par at that 18th hole earned a one-stroke victory. It was the biggest win of his life and earned a five-year exemption that ensures his future career.
The former Spanish Open champion was born in New Caledonia -- in the Pacific between Australia and Fiji. Cevaer played in Tahiti before progressing to the Stevenson School in Pebble Beach and hence on to Tiger Woods' alma mater Stanford University.
His charming accent certainly has a Californian twang, though he actually learned English in the county where he won the trophy: Kent. In appearance too you could believe he was from California.
"When I won the British Youth Championship," he said "the Scottish press gave me the nickname 'the Sundance Kid', because I looked a little like Robert Redford."
He's never seen the film, but not surprisingly loves the nickname.
DON'T THROW AWAY, GIVE AWAY
Cevaer's compatriot Michael Lorenzo-Vera had led at the halfway point, and his form has certainly taken a turn for the better recently.
He wasn't happy to finish 18th, but he was more content than earlier this season in Dubai where he closed with rounds of 77-76 on the weekend.
"I was really angry after the last round," he recalled, "and usually I break the clubs when I'm angry. Rafa Jacquelin told me instead of breaking them why don't I give them."
So when a young autograph hunter asked for his signature, he got more than he anticipated. Lorenzo-Vera gave the boy all the irons from his bag!
RORY STAYS GROUNDED
As far as I know, Rory McIlroy hasn't given away his clubs to an autograph hunter, but the young star is one of the most diligent players at giving his signature.
Maybe it's because he's not that much older than many of the kids shouting out his name. And there have been times he's had to pinch himself because it's hard to believe all the success he's had.
That said, he's not been shy of the more established stars. At his first appearance in Abu Dhabi in 2008, he tapped Padraig Harrington on the back when the three-time major champion was being interviewed near the recorder's hut. Harrington asked him how he'd finished. McIlroy replied "seven under."
"Not bad, same as me," Harrington said.
"No," McIlroy said. "I wanted to beat you."
We have learned more about the 20-year-old, too. During the European Open, he was watching TV that evening to see Steve Stricker's win at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
"I'm a bit of a golf geek to be honest," McIlroy said. "It's good to see how the guys around me in the rankings are doing, and just to see what I need to do over at this side of the pond."
He had been watching a leading UK television show, too, though, and confessed "Britain's Got Talent" beat the golf on the Saturday night. He backed the winners, too, a dance troupe called Diversity.
BACK TO WALES
Perhaps strangely, McIlroy has decided not to play in the Celtic Manor Wales Open, but there's little doubt he'll be among the contenders for Europe's Ryder Cup team in 2010.
Plenty of other Europeans will aim to show the captain their ability, though, Corey Pavin only has Anthony Kang in the field to consider for his team.
Australia's Scott Strange defends the title just a matter of weeks after claiming an impressive win at the Volvo China Open.
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