European Ryder Cup captain, Jose Maria Olazabal heads the exodus of hopefuly victorious team members set not to tee-up in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
The only Medinah stars returning to the Home of Golf for the $US5m event will be inaugural champion, Paul Lawrie, 2003 winner Lee Westwood, 2010 champ Martin Kaymer and Sweden’s Peter Hanson.
And European Tem captain, Jose Maria Olazabal is a late withdrawal citing the short turnaround time between the Ryder Cup and one of the richest event in Scotland outside of The Open.
“I’ve entered the Dunhill but I don’t think I’m going to be playing that one,” said Olazabal.
Martin Kaymer, winner in 2010, set to be one of just four European Ryder Cup stars to compete in this year’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
“After the Ryder Cup it’s going to be tough to go to Scotland and play that event, arriving home on Monday night, I won’t be able to get to Scotland until Tuesday.
“I won’t be able to get a practice round in, so I’m having second thoughts about the Dunhill, so I’ll compete the week after in Portugal.”
Kaymer heads to Chicago on Friday and breathing a huge sigh of relief after sharing fifth place last week in Italy with fellow Medinah team-mate Nicolas Colsaerts.
It was Kaymer’s best finish since
“I’m very relieved now after playing Holland and Italy because the last two weeks were good for my game,” said the German.
“I had been thinking after the PGA Championship of taking six weeks off and just straight to the Ryder Cup.
“So I am now pleased I did play and it’s been a good and proper decision.
“My confidence is a lot higher as I played consistent in Holland but very consistent in Italy.
“So I’ve gained a lot of motivation and confidence and not only for the Ryder Cup but I’m going to play the Alfred Dunhill and Portugal after Medinah, so I will go to those events very pleased with my game.“
But while Kaymer has confirmed for the Dunhill, questions have already been raised over a number of players to have received invitations.
Organisers have released the names of six of 20 players who will be invited to contest the event but yet none are Scots.
Three invitations have been extended to two Americans, Pat Perez and Tom Gillis along with Canadian Graham Deleat.
Perez is ranked 134th in the world, Gillis 137th while Deleat is 156th..
Perez has never ever played in a regular European Tour event while Gillis only European showing was contesting the 2008 Open.
Deleat has previous Dunhill form having finished well down in 53rd place and, also in his only Europe (not European) showing.
In was much the same scenario last year with another trio of ‘little value added’ Yanks being given invitations in J J Henry, Patrick Reed and Jason Wagner, and with all three missing the cut.
A fourth this year has been extended to South African Anton Haig, and for a fourth year running only because he’s a good friend of Dunhill’s Johan Rupert.
Former St. Andrews Open Champion, John Daly is a welcome invitation and sure to bring more spectators to the three host courses.
The sixth was given to Dutchman Maarten Lafeber currently ranked 544th in the world but then currently lying 112th (TBC – Monday) on the Race to Dubai.
Desperate for an invitation is Stirling’s Craig Lee, 109th on the Race to Dubai, Alastair Forsyth at 126th on the money list and Gary Orr well down in 149th.
“Receiving an invitation to play the Alfred Dunhill would be big,” he said.
“There were 20 invitations last year but I didn’t get one.
“I’ve played on the Tour 11 to 12years, so I was disappointed, but it’s entirely up to them.
“Dunhill stage a $US 5m event so they are perfectly entitles to invite who they want.
“Hurting me and others is the fact five events have now been cancelled this year and they’re events I would have got into.
But I’ve got no chance of playing Hong Kong later in the year and I just need the invitation to play in the Dunhill and the following week’s Portugal Masters.
“There is the Challenge Tour but wheeling your own clubs on a trolley just doesn’t do it for me. I just feel much more comfortable on the main tour.
“If I don’t receive an invitation then I might get into the new event in Perth, Australia but it’s a long way to go for just one event
“But if I have to go, I will go and it just shows how determined I am to want to play and win back my card.
”So all I can do is keep asking.”
