GB & I Seve Trophy captain Sam Torrance has played down fellow Scot Paul Lawrie’s remarks from last week.
The two-time Ryder Cup winning Lawrie singled out for criticism GB & I’s leading six qualifiers, including the US Open winning trio of Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose, who have elected to skip this week’s event at St. Nom-la-Breteche.
However Torrance, who is a GB & I captain for a first time has played down the controversy.
“What can you do? It has been that way over the years with guys not play in the Seve Trophy,” he said.
Sam Torrance and his GB & I Seve Trophy team. (Photo – David Lloyd/www.golffile.ie)
“It’s their decision. They have a huge schedule in America so I totally understand it and I don’t have a problem with it at all.
“Paul’s comments didn’t surprise me but I have no problem with it whatsoever.
“It gives these guys a great opportunity and an insight into what the Ryder Cup will be like and besides it will give them the desire to play in the Ryder Cup team after playing in this.”
This week marks only the second occasion in European team golf four Scots have appeared in the same side with the first being the 1987 Ryder Cup when Torrance joined Sandy Lyle, Gordon Brand Jnr and Ken Brown in Europe’s first-ever victory on US soil.
“It’s a fantastic honour for Scotland to have four players in the one team and five if you count myself,” he said.
“And there can be no bigger inspiration for the four given the next Ryder Cup is in Scotland and we were to get half as many in the team that would be great.”
And Torrance is clearly reveling in his new role and 11 years after leading Europe to victory in the 2002 Ryder Cup at The Belfry.
“I never thought I would be captain again, and I certainly never thought I would be captain against Europe,” he said.
“So it’s fantastic to be here and I didn’t have to introduce myself to anyone, they all knew me, which is a bit of a worry!”
And Torrance has also been entertaining his 10 GB & I players with stories from the 2002 including the Pierre Fulke neck tie tale.
“I had got back to my room at The Belfry just before 6pm and I had to be at the dinner for 6.45pm,” said Torrance starting to smile.
“My wife had run me a bath, there was champagne lying at the side of the bath and she had gone to get her hair down.
“And I had just got into the bath when the phone went and it was Pierre Fulke, and he said: ‘Sam, I have got a problem, I need to see you.’
“So I told him he had better come to my room.
“I hadn’t even hung up and he was banging on the door because he was in the room next door.
“And when I opened the door he did look ashen faced with his suit on.
“I asked him what was wrong and he then took his hand from behind his back and said: ‘I can’t do the knot in my tie!’
“That was beautiful. Players winding up the captain.
“So it’s a great honour to again be a captain and The Seve Trophy is a wonderful event.
“And now that Seve has passed away it is even more important.”
