SPORTS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29 , 2013 Four weeks that could shape Europe’s Ryder Cup team SHANGHAI: Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano grew up said at the BMW Masters. “The one thing that has That’s what the FedEx Cup has going for it in America. is playing for big money. That’s a good thing. These four watching the famed “Spanish Armada” team of Seve worked in our favor is that we have a level playing pitch Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but the start of the tournaments have about as much prize money as the Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal, so the Ryder Cup in terms of points are here, and then they spike for the FedEx Cup in 2007 coincides with a resurgence in next 15 regular European Tour events. And if someone means everything to him. He still recalls the encour- majors. That was it. The worry would be if somebody American performance at the Ryder Cup. They won in were to get hot in November and secure a spot on a agement from Olazabal a year ago. plays great for four weeks. You can basically make the 2008. Only the heroics of Graeme McDowell and the Ryder Cup that is played in September? “Your time will come, and it will come when you’re team these four weeks. Is that a good thing? Probably unconscious play of Ian Poulter kept the Americans “That happens every year,” said Lawrie, who made ready,” Olazabal said to his fellow Spaniard. There is no not.” McGinley speaks from experience. He effectively from winning the last three. his first Ryder Cup team by winning the British Open in better time to be winning than now. secured a spot on the 2006 team by Christmas, and he The next stop for Europe is the HSBC Champions 1999. “We want big tournaments. We want big prize The European Tour just began its richest month of found it difficult to keep his form over the next nine and its $8.5 million purse, followed by the Turkish Open money. And that’s what we’ve got.” golf, four tournaments called “The Final Series” that months. Thankfully, it didn’t matter. Europe had one of ($7 million) and the World Tour Championship in Dubai When the Ryder Cup was postponed one year to conclude the Race to Dubai. Every purse is at least $7 its strongest teams for a home game in Ireland, and the ($8 million). In some cases, even more Ryder Cup points 2002 because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, half of million and combined prize money is $30.5 million. Americans had a team that included Brett Wetterich are available than it seems. “No doubt, whoever wins is both teams were not in the same form as when they Throw out the majors and World Golf Championships, and Vaughn Taylor. McGinley recalls playing his way putting themselves in tremendous shape to make the qualified. McGinley made the team easily that year, and and they are the richest events of the year. That onto the team in the months leading up to the 2004 team,” Padraig Harrington said. “Paul better hope it’s he was concerned about how he would perform at The explains why Fernandez-Castano shot up to the top of Ryder Cup, and he went unbeaten in three matches at one of his stalwart players. You’d be surprised what one Belfry. It worked out well for him in the end, of course. the European points list for the Ryder Cup, leading by Oakland Hills. event can mean. Somebody like me, if I had come in McGinley became a part of Ryder Cup lore with an 8- nearly 300,000 euros. Henrik Stenson had such an incredible run in and won this week, it puts me in all the world events. foot par putt to win his match and clinch the cup for And it’s why European captain Paul McGinley is pay- America in September - two FedEx Cup playoff wins - Now I’m able to gather money for playing average Europe. ing very close attention. With so much money at stake that he leads the world ranking points list by nearly because I’m in those events. It’s really difficult to make “I’m not being critical,” McGinley said. “But it’s going this time of year - good news for the European Tour, the 100. “I’m not saying it’s black or it’s white, or it’s a bad the Ryder Cup team if you’re not in the top 50 because to be interesting to see how this evolves. This year we hotbed of golf at the moment - if a player were to get thing,” McGinley said. “If this Final Series were in August, you gather points more easily.” have a massive amount of points at the beginning of on a roll this month, he could earn enough money to it would be ideal. But it’s not. It will be interesting to see Fernandez-Castano went from No. 60 to No. 32. That qualifying. Having said that, two years ago because the all but secure a spot on the Ryder Cup team. Trouble is, where it goes. If a guy plays great for four weeks, who’s put him in two World Golf Championships over the FedEx had so many points, our guys based in America the matches are still 10 months away. to say he can’t carry it on? But if you were doing it to next four months, and all but secured a spot in the had a great opportunity to earn ranking points. “And “We have to wait to see how it evolves,” McGinley benefit the Ryder Cup, you’d have the series in August.” Masters. Paul Lawrie doesn’t see it as a problem. Europe that,” he added, “worked out OK.” — AP Moore wins CIMB Classic MALAYSIA: American Ryan Moore sank a with my third shot, and it was just an birdie putt after a “perfect” approach shot absolute perfect number. It was 158 yards, a on the first hole of a sudden death playoff little bit back up the hill, so for me that was to win the $7 million CIMB Classic in just a perfect slightly choked down full Malaysia on Monday for his third career win eight iron.” on the US PGA Tour. Woodland would have won his third The 30-year-old finished tied with com- PGA title if he had not missed a birdie putt patriot Gary Woodland on 14-under-par on by centimetres on the final hole of his Sunday but had to wait overnight for the fourth round on Sunday. playoff after thunder storms delayed the “It was tough. It was a long hole, and final round for more than three hours. Ryan hit a great shot in there and obviously Moore said the adrenaline rush he got from made a good birdie,” the 29-year-old said. earning his place in the playoff by saving “But I thought I hit a pretty good shot on par at the final hole in near darkness on the third, just obviously coming out of the Sunday had carried him through the rough, I would have liked to have been in shootout. the fairway, came out of the rough and While Woodland found the rough with came up a little short.” Moore’s two previous his second shot on the par-five 18th, PGA tour wins came at the Wyndham Moore’s approach shot took him to within Championship in 2009, which he also won three feet of the hole and he nervelessly in a playoff, and at the 2012 Shriners sank the putt to earn a cheque for $1.26 Hospitals for Children Open in his home million. “Playing a playoff with someone like town of Las Vegas. The CIMB Classic, which Gary, I know I don’t want it to last very long,” is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, was KUALA LUMPUR: Ryan Moore of the US poses with the winner’s trophy after defeat- said the world number 45. added to the official PGA Tour schedule for ing compatriot Gary Woodland in a play-off during the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic golf “I had a great opportunity there on 18 the first time this year. — Reuters tournament. —AFP LONGKOU: This handout photo taken by the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) shows Lee Chang- woo of South Korea posing with the winner’s trophy Ashour aims to after the final round. — AFP Lee earns defend world title MANCHESTER: Ramy Ashour is seeking to been remarkable. Ashour has extended an transcend negative energy from a troubled unbeaten run to 45 matches, inducing Egypt by delivering a world title defence comparisons with the legendary Khans of Masters which will highlight him as the most daz- Pakistan who dominated squash in the 80s zling new squash star in two decades. The and 90s. champion from Cairo is returning to the Asked again about the mood of fellow invitation scene of his career’s first major triumph Egyptians, the 26-year-old resisted becom- next week to purvey sensational skills ing sucked into a mire of emotions which LONGKOU CITY: Lee Chang-woo of South Korea won which have shone more brightly as his in the past have helped motivate him to the Asia-Pacific Amateur by three shots Sunday to earn country’s crisis has deepened. join protesters in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. a trip to the Masters in April. Five years ago an unpredictable young “I get good appreciation everywhere I Lee was worried that he would think more about Ashour won the world title for the first time go and feel so happy when I see amazingly going to Augusta National than his golf at Nanshan in Manchester; on Monday, as an emerging enthusiastic squash communities all International.