Golf Digest
WORLD CUP: Former winners Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley will, as expected, represent Ireland at the WGC World Cup in Portugal in November, the European Tour has confirmed.
World number 13 Harrington selected 29th-ranked McGinley to partner him at Victoria Clube de Golfe in Vilamoura from November 17th-20th, when they will attempt to repeat their 1997 victory at Kiawah Island, South Carolina.
Last year, the Irish duo finished third behind champions England and hosts Spain when the event was held in Seville.
Other team line-ups confirmed included Spain (Sergio Garcia and Miguel Angel Jimenez), South Africa (Trevor Immelman and Tim Clark) and Sweden (Henrik Stenson and Niclas Fasth).
Last week, world number 14 Luke Donald chose fellow Ryder Cup player David Howell as his partner for England's title defence.
SENIOR HOME INTERNATIONALS: Ireland captured the three foursomes matches to beat Wales on day two of the Seniors Home Internationals at Lahinch Golf Club, a day on which the scheduled singles matches were cancelled because of the strong winds and rain.
Details in SPORTS ROUND-UP
RYDER CUP: Lee Westwood has hit back at Chris DiMarco's accusation that there is "hatred" in Ryder Cup matches.
Westwood expressed incredulity yesterday at the American's comments during last week's Presidents Cup in Virginia.
"Hatred? Well, not from our side, so it must be from theirs," said Westwood, a member of Europe's last four Ryder Cup teams.
"How a veteran of one Ryder Cup can say that is beyond me. If he thought it was bad the last time in Detroit (the 2004 Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills), he should have been in Boston (in 1999)."
DiMarco is remembered for urging on the crowd with fist-pumping during last year's win by Europe, but Westwood said that "passion" to win should not be mistaken for hatred.
"It doesn't exist. There is no hatred in the Ryder Cup," the 32-year-old added. "It's just very competitive and you want to beat your partners. At the end of the day, you could have sat down and had a beer with them."
WIE DEBATE: The arbiters of professional golf should think long and hard before deciding whether to allow teenage prodigy Michelle Wie to play on the men's tour, former European Tour executive director Ken Schofield says.
"The history of golf is of men playing men and women playing against women. That has stood the test of time so why should we change it?
In Schofield's opinion, it is not Wie's ability that is in question, rather the direction the sport should take.
"There is the great history of the women's game to consider," he said. "The US Women's Open dates back to 1946 and its roll call of champions includes the likes of Babe Zaharias, Mickey Wright and of course Annika (Sorenstam).
"Attempting to add their names to that list is where all aspiring women's golfers - Wie included - should focus efforts."
