Bjorn losing sleep over captaincy

Thomas Bjorn will captain odds-on favourites Europe in this week’s Eurasia Cup – but he admits the prospect of performing the same role at the Ryder Cup is already giving him sleepless nights.

The inaugural Eurasia Cup finished as a 10-10 tie in 2014, with a European side captained by Darren Clarke cruising to a 13-point victory over Team Asia two years ago.

That did not translate into Ryder Cup success at Hazeltine, however, with Europe suffering their first defeat since 2008 and Bjorn’s first in six contests as either a player or vice-captain.

And that means the 46-year-old Dane is giving everything he can to ensure Europe regain the trophy from the United States at Le Golf National in Paris in September.

“In terms of how allconsuming the captaincy is, I really feel it’s on my mind 24/7,” Bjorn said.

“I even wake up in the middle of the night thinking about it.

“When I walk around (at events) and see Tyrrell Hatton and Sergio Garcia, my mind is on them, how they’re playing and how I can utilise them.”

The Eurasia Cup format sees six fourball matches contested today, six foursomes tomorrow and 12 singles matches on Sunday at Glenmarie Golf and Country Club in Kuala Lumpur.