Golf News: The 15 Europeans, including three Irishmen, taking part will have to wait an extra 24 hours to begin the Accenture World Matchplay Championship.

The first round, scheduled for today, has been put back a day to give the La Costa Resort and Spa course near San Diego a chance to recover from the third-wettest rainy season ever in the area.

It is the second year running that the event has had a total washout on one day. Last February no play was possible on the Thursday after torrential rain.

Once again, weather permitting, the second and third rounds will be staged on Friday to make up for the lost time. The forecast is good from this morning on.

When play does get under way, Phil Mickelson will be trying to make it three wins in a row on the US Tour. He starts against fellow American Loren Roberts.

The leading Europeans in the rankings are Padraig Harrington and Sergio Garcia. While Garcia plays German Alex Cejka in one of two all-European duels, Darren Clarke faces fellow Ulsterman Graeme McDowell. And McDowell remembers that Clarke did not give him enough strokes when they first met at Royal Portrush 11 years ago.

Tomorrow, though, there will not be any shots on offer when they clash again at La Costa. McDowell described it as "surreal" when he heard that his debut would come against the only other Ulsterman in the field.

They were born just 25 miles apart, McDowell in Portrush and Clarke in Dungannon, but the Ryder Cup star is the elder by 11 years and was already into his professional career when they paired up for nine holes one Saturday morning.

"It was probably more memorable for me. I was a four or five-handicapper at the time and I don't think he gave me enough shots," recalled McDowell.

"There are 64 great players here and I knew I was going to be playing one of them, but it's always more difficult when you are friendly with someone.

"For 18 holes, though, we're going to be trying to beat each other up. There's time to be friends again after the match!

"Darren was pretty inspirational for me growing up and had a lot to do with me joining the same management stable. He's always been full of advice and support, especially when I won my first event three years ago."

That was the Scandinavian Masters, only the fourth event McDowell had appeared in as a professional.

He just missed out on a Ryder Cup debut last September and, despite a sixth-placed finish on the European Order of Merit, has also not yet received an invitation to the Masters in April.

Beating Clarke would help him achieve that, though, as he needs to move him into the world's top 50.

Clarke had his most famous victory at the Matchplay in 2000, claiming an impressive list of scalps which read Paul Azinger, Mark O'Meara, Thomas Bjorn, Hal Sutton, David Duval and then, in the final, Tiger Woods.

Of the McDowell clash he said: "I've played friends lots of times and you just have to put the blinkers on."

RYDER CUP: Former captain Mark James has backed Ian Woosnam ahead of Nick Faldo to lead Europe at the K Club in Straffan, Co Kildare next year.

Woosnam and Faldo are the leading contenders for the coveted post, with Sandy Lyle also in the running after Bernhard Langer ruled himself out of a second stint in charge.

Ryder Cup officials will make their decision next week in Dubai, and James believes personality is key to building on the success of last year's triumph in the US.

James, skipper at Brookline in 1999, claims Faldo would be better suited to take on the job in America in 2008.

"I think Woosie is the best candidate for the next Ryder Cup and probably Nick for the next one," James said. "I think we need a more emotive person to connect with the home crowd.

"That is more of an asset for a home Ryder Cup, and I think someone with a more detached, clinical mindset is better over there. I think that sort of describes both men's personalities."

James was impressed with the quality in Langer's squad at Oakland Hills and admits he was surprised by the margin of victory.

"Once the teams began to take shape it didn't look to me like we wouldn't win," he added. "I thought they would win by three points and, as it turned out, it was a lot more than that."

James is unlikely to attempt to qualify for this year's British Open at St Andrews despite his current Champions Tour form.

James won the ACE Group Classic at the weekend, but said: "I could do without playing at St Andrews, I don't like it.