McGinley in position to take a break

One of the perks of securing Ryder Cup status is that financial considerations, in terms of sponsorship deals and bonuses, are much improved . . . which should help to ease some of the physical strain that Paul McGinley endured over the past 12 months in finally guaranteeing his place in the European team for the match at The Belfry later this month.

Indeed, that encounter with the Americans will constitute McGinley's next competitive appearance in Europe. Not surprisingly, given the demands of making the team, McGinley has opted to miss out on this week's European Masters in Crans-sur-Sierre and he will also bypass the Lancome Trophy which takes place in Saint-Nom-La-Breteche, near Paris, in the week preceding the Ryder Cup.

McGinley, who has moved up to a career-high 40th position in the latest world rankings, will play just once more - in next week's American Express World Strokeplay Championship in St Louis - before meeting up with his Ryder Cup team-mates.

And Padraig Harrington, who had his sixth runners-up place on the European Tour this season when finishing one stroke behind John Daly in last weekend's BMW International, will adopt a similar game plan in the run-up to the Ryder Cup.

Harrington's appearance in Munich followed a three-week stint in the US (where he played the Buick Open, the USPGA and the NEC Invitational in successive weeks) and he has decided that his only further tournament play prior to The Belfry will be the AmEx.

Incidentally, Harrington has moved up two places, to 13th, in the latest world rankings after his second-place finish in the BMW.

It is interesting to note, meanwhile, that world number one Tiger Woods is adopting a quite different approach in the build-up to the United States' defence of the Ryder Cup.

Woods will defend his Canadian Open in Montreal this week - where Richie Coughlan, who has missed his last five cuts and is now down to 205th in the US Tour's Order of Merit, will be competing - then play in next week's AmEx before travelling over to Paris for the Lancome. It means Woods will have played for three successive weeks before the Ryder Cup.

While Coughlan faces an uphill battle to retain his card for next season, Waterville's David Higgins also finds himself in a similar fight on this side of the Atlantic as he bids to keep his European Tour card.

Higgins - one of two Irishmen in the European Masters field this week, along with Ronan Rafferty - is currently placed in 125th position with €108,741 on the European Tour money list. He needs to improve by at least 10 places by season's end to secure his playing rights for next season.

Lee Westwood, meanwhile, who was forced to withdraw from the NEC Invitational with an arm injury, will seek to allay fears about his participation at The Belfry by returning to action in this week's European Masters.