WOOSNAM, TORRANCE AND BAKER ON THE RYDER CUP
WOOSNAM BACKS EUROPE TO UPSET RYDER CUP FAVOURITES
Gat her Ian Woosnam, Sam torrance and Peter Baker together for a round- table discussion and you are guaranteed plenty of banter mixed with fascinating insights.
Between them, the trio racked up more than 1,900 european tour events and 17 ryder Cup appearances, with the first two also completing wildly successful stints as captain. Not that that guarantees any consensus.
‘europe have done the right thing with thomas Bjorn having four picks as next year’s captain,’ reckoned Woosie. ‘It’s vital we have our best team if we’re to get back to winning ways.’
the Welshman had barely finished his sentence before the eyebrows of his long-time pal torrance were on high alert. ‘Do you know, that would have really confused me having that many picks,’ said the Scot, who had two when skipper in 2002. ‘ It complicates matters.’
It was somewhat ironic hearing Woosie defend Bjorn given the pair had a major falling out in 2006, when he overlooked the Dane for a wildcard. have they made their peace? What would happen now, for example, if Bjorn rang Woosnam for advice?
‘Wrong number!’ cried torrance, cackling mischievously.
Naturally, Woosie got his own back. torrance is a shadow of his old self in weight terms these days, having lost three stones after giving up the booze. ‘Just shows how much he used to drink,’ quipped Woosnam.
Woosnam will be 60 next March but the chin was jutting in defiance once more when the subject of the recent american successes was raised.
‘Yes, they’re on a good run but I see no reason why europe should be scared of them,’ he said. ‘they’ll be favourites but they always were the favourites and what good did that do them? the course offers a huge advantage to europe in that our players know it so well through the French Open and we’ll set it up to suit our team. We’ll be all right.’ after so many years when they travelled the circuit together, it is rare these days for the trio to be at the same tournament. the occasion was the Farmfoods european Senior Masters, which concluded yesterday at the Forest of arden and was won by Welshman Stephen Dodd
Baker was the host and torrance and Woosnam turned up to add a little stardust. For Baker, it was his first event among the over-50s, something that filled torrance with both nostalgia and a touch of sadness. the 64-year- old revealed he is thinking of giving up tournament play altogether at the Senior Open at St andrews next year.
TOrraNCe said: ‘I haven’t made a final decision but I can’t think of a better place to end it all than at the Old Course and, after 45 years as a pro, it’s certainly time. I still love playing social golf at Sunningdale and I can still break 70 most of the time but it’s a fact that the hardest club in your bag as you get older is the pencil.
‘I’m thrilled for Peter, though. It’s like beginning a new career when you turn 50. Suddenly, you are on leaderboards again and you think you can win tournaments once more, and there’s no better feeling.’
No one ever made a more dramatic introduction to life on the circuit than Baker. Just 20, he announced himself in 1988 by finishing with an eagle to tie Sir Nick Faldo in the B&h International at Fulford, near York — and then struck another eagle to beat him in the play-off. ‘I’ve been waiting for this for a few years, so it will be nice to get started again and see what’s left of the game,’ said the Midlander, who played in 599 regular tour events and finished tied seventh yesterday on his senior debut. Baker and Woosie still play a lot of social golf. they even played at aberdovey recently when hurricane Ophelia was blowing so hard their drives barely went 150 yards. ‘honestly, you’d think the ryder Cup was at stake when we play,’ said Baker. ask the trio if they have any lasting regrets and Woosie is the one who hesitates. he won the Masters, but how many better ball strikers have we seen over the past 40 years? ‘I’d like to have won the Open,’ he said. his best chance came at Lytham in 2001, when he shared the lead with David Duval going into the final round. On the second tee, his caddie Miles Byrne gave him the nausea-inducing news he had 15 clubs in his bag.
Not only did it mean an instant two-shot penalty but Woosnam, his mind plainly a-whirl, bogeyed the third and fourth.
‘I still get reminded about it,’ said Woosnam. ‘But it’s part of life and I can’t grumble with mine. It’s been a good, full life with a lot of stories I could tell.’
torrance looked over. ‘Steady now, Woosie,’ he said.