British Masters:David Howell, one of Europe's Ryder Cup heroes a year ago, tees off at the British Masters at The Belfry today having had a stark reminder of just how bad the last 12 months have been.
Howell has been unable to claim a place in a 10-man Britain and Ireland team for next week's Seve Trophy match at The Heritage, outside Portlaoise, even being overlooked for a wild card by captain Nick Faldo.
"I am sure he made a very wise choice not picking me," said the 32-year-old from Swindon, who has slumped from third on last year's Order of Merit to 130th this season and is still looking for his first top-20 finish of 2007.
Although he is still 38 places above Marc Warren on the world rankings - they are 89th and 127th respectively - Faldo has selected the Scot in addition to Yorkshireman Simon Dyson to take on Seve Ballesteros' Continental Europe line-up.
For Warren and Dyson it is a real shot in the arm with Faldo also the man who will lead Europe against the Americans next year. Howell, on the other hand, is keeping his fingers crossed not only that his form returns, but also that he stays healthy enough to challenge for a third Ryder Cup cap.
Wrist and back problems have forced Howell out of a number of events this year, but yesterday he felt well enough to put in one of his longest practice sessions for a long time. At a demonstration of a new custom club-fitting system with his sponsors Cleveland he stated: "I was on the range at 8.30am, practised to 12, played six holes, then was still on the range at five.
"Three weeks ago I couldn't have done that. My body feels better by the week and that is very positive.
"I've got to make sensible decisions about when I play. My attitude now is that I will play when I am healthy and it seems like my body will dictate when that is.
"The Ryder Cup is my main goal next year and even if a full schedule for me might not be 32 events any more I hope I can play great and pick up lots of points in the big events.
"At the moment, though, I am not playing anywhere near that standard."
Warren's recent win in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles clearly impressed Faldo, as did his performance partnering Colin Montgomerie in last December's World Cup. They lost a play-off to Germany. "I was not building up my hopes and to get the nod is fantastic," said the 26-year-old. Hopefully this will lead to the bigger picture, the Ryder Cup next year. You never know."
In terms of the world rankings Faldo went past not only Howell, but also Anthony Wall, Simon Khan, Graeme McDowell and Paul Broadhurst to select Warren.
Dyson's rise to 78th in the world virtually guaranteed him a pick once Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood had pulled out of the match.
"I wouldn't have been disappointed if I hadn't been called," he said. "Obviously it's a bonus and it's nice to know that someone like Nick Faldo thinks you're good enough."
The 29-year-old finished sixth in the USPGA after a brilliant closing 64 and added: "Hopefully I can pull my game up another level."
Six of last year's Ryder Cup side - Montgomerie, Howell, Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley and Robert Karlsson - are competing this week.
It would have been seven but Paul Casey has pulled out because of tiredness.
Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy and Scot Lloyd Saltman, the two biggest names in Britain and Ireland's Walker Cup side earlier this month, play their first European Tour events as professionals.
Thomas Bjorn's improved form last week in Cologne probably tipped the balance in favour of the Dane as one of Seve Ballesteros's Seve Trophy wildcards.
However, Bjorn is determined to focus on his game rather than results, as he tries to follow up his battling victory attempt in last week's Mercedes Benz Championship by winning this weekend.
A 10th European Tour title was in the offing when Bjorn began last Sunday's final round in Cologne tied on top of the leaderboard with compatriot Soren Hansen.
His lengthy layoff when, apart from playing in the USPGA Championship, Bjorn took a seven-week break to make swing changes, apparently cost him dear as an early double-bogey and two late bogeys at Gut Larchenhoff relegated him to fourth place.
His immediate return to form, though, has caused Bjorn to raise his sights.
"After seven weeks, to play as well as I did last week was very nice," Bjorn said. "Suddenly my expectations are high again. Obviously I want to take it into this week. But I want to continue looking at how I'm playing and not focus on results."
Despite saying last week that he expected to be at friend Ian Poulter's wedding during the Seve Trophy, Bjorn, who was one of Ballesteros's triumphant 12 against the US in the 1997 Ryder Cup, happily accepted his 'pick' from Ballesteros on Tuesday.
