US Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin has used his time at the Wales Open to compile a hole-by-hole summary of the Celtic Manor course to help his team defend its title next year.
After a second successive 1-over 72 at the Wales Open (only just making the cut), Pavin is
ready to pass on his impressions.
"I'll tell them it is a very fair course. Everything is in front of you and there are no tricks to this golf course," Pavin said.
The 7352-yard course will host next year's Wales Open and the Ryder Cup four months later, at the beginning of October.
He felt the key holes might be the 14th, 15th and the par-5, 575-yard last, where there is a lake in front of the green. Colin Montgomerie, Pavin's rival Ryder Cup captain, had a similar view.
"Certainly 13,14, 15 are going to be crucial," Montgomerie said. "Number 15 is a great match-play hole. The 16th is a super par four so it's actually quite a good end. You get 20,000 people on the banks of these holes and the atmosphere will be electric. It will be fantastic here."
Europe have won the last three Ryder Cups played in Europe but the Americans won 16-11 at Valhalla in Louisville, Kentucky, last year.
Meanwhile, Kiwi golfer Mark Brown has made the cut at the Wales Open but Michael Campbell has missed out.
Brown shot a total of 143 while Campbell's 147 was not enough to see him progress further than the second round at Celtic Manor.
Tournament leader was little-known Scot Richie Ramsay who shot a 4-under 67. The 26-year-old Ramsay, who won the 2006 US Amateur title and is on his first full year on tour, has compiled a 7-under 135 to lead by one stroke from English pair Robert Rock (68) and Ross Fisher (66). Ramsay played at the European Open last week with his favourite player, Sergio Garcia, and he has played with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson at The Masters.
"They have told me, 'If you have got this far and have won the US Amateur, your game is on the right track,"' Ramsay said. "So I've just stuck to my guns and it's starting to pay dividends now."
Montgomerie was in contention after a second straight 69.
"I started birdie, birdie, birdie this morning, which was great," he said. "That got me on the leaderboard, which was different."
Golf: Pavin uses Open to get lay of land for Ryder
US Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin has used his time at the Wales Open to compile a hole-by-hole summary of the Celtic Manor course to help his team defend its title next year.
After a second successive 1-over 72 at the Wales Open (only just making the cut), Pavin is
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