Colsaerts keeps in touch
Nicolas Colsaerts kept his hopes of a Ryder Cup call-up alive with a three-under 69 at the Johnnie Walker Championship.
Nicolas Colsaerts kept his hopes of a Ryder Cup call-up alive after carding a three-under-par 69 on day one of the Johnnie Walker Championship.
Norwegian Knut Borsheim and Brett Rumford from Australia are the leaders at five-under while a group of five, which includes Mark Foster, Paul Lawrie and Francesco Molinari are at four.
All eyes were on the 29-year-old Colsaerts though as he requires a top two finish to book his ticket to Illinois next month.
Should he fail to finish in the top two, Colsaerts could yet face the United Statse as one of European captain Jose Maria Olazabal’s wildcard picks.
“Obviously the big goal is to play,” the Belgian said.
“But if I can get myself into the team automatically it would be a big boost. After the way I have been playing for the past year I feel okay playing in that company.
“I know that on any given day I can take on anybody which is why I have done so well in match play events.”
Colsaerts’s round included four birdies in five holes from the 14th, his front nine.
He added: “There is still a long way to go so I should really not be discussing the Ryder Cup.
“But you would have to invent a word to describe how much I want to do it. Out on the course it was going through my head every 10 minutes.”
England’s David Lynn, who also has an outside chance of being picked as a wildcard, shot a one-under 71.
Latest
-
VideosWATCH: The brutal Butch Harmon drill Tiger Woods hated and the lesson the average golfer can learn from it
Tiger Woods dominated the game like no-one has since after Butch Harmon rebuilt his swing but it was hard work getting there
-
VideosWATCH: Playing naked – it’s Dr Bob Rotella’s amazing recipe for success on the golf course
In this video, famed sports psychologist Dr Bob Rotella tells it as it is and makes a startling call for golfers to “play naked”
-
NewsFive-year-old Ping G410 fairway wood helps McCarty get to Augusta
Matt McCarty is the latest player to stamp his place at The Masters after his Ping G410 3-wood helped him win the Black Desert Championship
-
NewsHow switching to the Ping PLD Oslo broomstick putter helped Dan Bradbury win the Open de France
Despite feeling a long putter carried “a bit of a stigma”, Dan Bradbury put one in his bag and was rewarded with victory at Le Golf National
-
Equipment5 reasons to try the TaylorMade Tour Response Stripe golf ball
The TaylorMade Tour Response Stripe golf ball came out in 2022 and has been hugely popular as we find out why.
-
InstructionWATCH: What are the four options when you declare a ball unplayable? The rules explained
This USGA video simplifies the available options when you have found your ball but declared that it is unplayable
-
NewsWhy a mini driver can help the club golfer’s game
There are serious benefits to adding a mini driver to your bag and Tommy Fleetwood is a huge fan of this increasingly popular club
-
VideosWATCH: How Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Mentality can help amateur golfers
Kobe’s desire to focus on the process and trust in hard work when it matters most are lessons that every golfer could take on board
-
VideosWATCH: How to practice your swing in the bedroom or a hotel room
Arizona golf coach Keith Bennett says you can work on your swing between rounds without actually hitting a ball
-
NewsWATCH: When Guido Migliozzi hit the Shot of the Year at 18 to win the 2022 Open de France
Guido Migliozzi’s stunning approach into the final hole at Le Golf National helped him snatch victory and leave the commentators gobsmacked.