WALLACE’S RYDER BID OFF TO A FLYING START
Matt Wallace showed exactly the right attitude when overlooked, rather controversially, for a wildcard for the last european Ryder cup team.
‘I’ll be practising day and night to make sure I don’t miss out on the next one,’ declared the londoner, who had won three tournaments and still wasn’t picked.
Was it just coincidence, then, that the 29-year- old struck two crisp blows to three feet at the difficult opening hole when the qualifying process for next year’s team began at the BMW PGa championship yesterday? Neither did he back off thereafter, following up that opening birdie with four more and an eagle for a bogey-free 65.
It earned him a one-shot lead on a high- quality leaderboard over two men who did make the last team — Spaniard Jon Rahm and Swede Henrik Stenson. a third, Justin Rose, showed no ill effects from the knee injury that had threatened his participation to deliver a 67.
Wallace said: ‘Over the next 12 months, it’s certainly my intention to take care of business and be in a position where I don’t have to worry about a wildcard.’
Wallace is running into form following a poor summer where he made headlines only for the scale of his very public spats with his veteran caddie Dave McNeilly, whom he regarded like an elder brother.
Matters came to a head at the Open, where highly respected coach Pete cowen labelled Wallace a ‘complete idiot’.
It was no surprise, therefore, when Wallace and McNeilly split. Given the depth of Wallace’s affection for McNeilly, however, no wonder his form dipped.
‘It was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make,’ said Wallace. ‘Dave’s got me where I am today, and it bothered me.’ On the criticism he received for the way he treated McNeilly, Wallace added: ‘that was the reason I wanted the split to happen. I didn’t want to keep being like that with Dave or him with me.’
after five holes, it looked business as usual for Rory McIlroy, following all his good golf since the first-round horror at the Open at Portrush. the sun was shining, he was three under after five holes and it looked as if his enormous gallery were in for a treat.
Who can explain what happened next? Not Rory, who didn’t feel in the mood following a back nine completed in 42 shots for a 76. Suffice to say, he’ll need a good one today simply to make the halfway cut. Norwegian wonderkid Viktor Hovland made his european tour debut and added another round in the sixties to the record-equalling 17 he mustered to end his first season on the PGa tour.
the 22-year- old shot 69 and, alongside him, Ryder cup captain Padraig Harrington was suitably impressed. ‘I knew he was a fine golfer, but I learned what a great attitude he has, how relaxed he is, and the fact he plays fearless golf,’ he said.