US PGA Digest

Normally one of the snazziest dressers on tour, thanks to his endorsement deal with luxury goods company Dunhill, Paul McGinley didn't exactly cut a pretty sight when playing the course at Whistling Straits for the first time on Tuesday.

He was wearing combat trousers! He had no choice as his luggage went missing on the commute from the Dutch Open where he had finished runner-up. "I was wearing jeans on the flight so I had to buy some trousers. The only shop I could find open was one called the American World of Wonder and, there, all I could buy was combat trousers," he remarked.

Still, McGinley was back to his normal dress sense yesterday as he finalised preparations on a course that reminded him most of Kingsbarns in Scotland with some similarities to the Old Head of Kinsale. For the Dubliner, who has packed his schedule in a bid to make the Ryder Cup team for Detroit next month, this - his fifth appearance in the US PGA - is a big week, but he doesn't see his quest for a place on the European team distracting.

"The Ryder Cup is looming on the horizon and it is something I want to play in," said McGinley. "I am excited about it. It's not a pressure that I want to go away. If I play well the next three weeks I'll make it."

McGinley plays next week's NEC International in Akron, where he has been asked to attend the get-together organised by Bernhard Langer for prospective team members, and then the following week's BMW International.

McGinley has had discussions with Langer and admitted, "I'm obviously in his mind . . . But I don't want to go down the road mentally of thinking I might get a captain's pick. I want to make the team in the top 10."

Ace form

Darren Clarke (right) is hoping lightning doesn't strike twice. In practice for the US Open at Shinnecock Hills in June, he had a hole-in-one (on the 11th) in practice . . . yesterday, in practice for the US PGA at Whistling Straits, the Ulsterman - who celebrates his 36th birthday on Saturday - had a hole-in-one on the 12th hole. "No, no, not today," shouted his caddie Billy Foster. Clarke missed the cut at Shinnecock Hills and is hoping the ace is a better omen on this occasion.

Couples joins injured

When Fred Couples withdrew yesterday because of a back injury, he became the latest in a string of casualties that allowed alternates into the field. Tom Watson (neck), Thomas Bjorn (neck), Toshi Izawa (sinus), Retief Goosen (hip), Steve Elkington (groin) and Larry Nelson (wrist) had all previously withdrawn for one injury reason or another. Ben Crane, who had been 10th alternate, got the call after Couples' withdrawal.