Golf: Ryder Cup contenders elevate Open field

The United States once dominated the Ryder Cup so completely that they barely needed the final day singles to secure the win.

From 1927, when the biennial contest began between the US and Britain and Ireland, the Americans lost just three contests until 1985.

There are tales of British players so inebriated at the start of the last day that matches had to be forfeited due to "stomach upsets".

But that was then and the introduction of European players, led by brilliant Spaniard Severiano Ballesteros from 1979, turned the event on its head.

Now, Europe has won six of the last nine, three of the last four capped by their record-breaking 18 1/2-9 1/2 win at Oakland Hills Country Club last year.

The might of American golf was humbled, the biggest blunder by captain Hal Sutton being his dreadfully ill-judged move to pair Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson - who aren't exactly Christmas card-swapping buddies - with disastrous results.

It's a safe bet that a clutch of the players on show at next week's New Zealand Open will step into the Ryder Cup within a few years.

Four players who will tee off at Gulf Harbour next Thursday - Italy's Costantino Rocca, England's Barry Lane, Scot Paul Lawrie and Swede Joakim Haeggman - have appeared in the cup.

Look for names such as Scotland's Stephen Gallacher (15th on last year's European Tour Order of Merit) and Scott Drummond (23rd), England's Nick Dougherty, winner of the Caltex Masters last weekend in Singapore, Simon Khan (27th) and Miles Tunnicliff (34th), and Frenchman Christian Cevaer (41st), all of whom have won Tour events in the past year, to come through and take up the European reins.

The name Gallacher should strike a Ryder Cup chord.

His uncle, Bernard, was Europe's non-playing captain in three matches, winning in 1995 after losing the previous two contests.

Previously he had played in eight successive cup matches from 1969 - he is the fourth-youngest player to have appeared for Europe, or Britain - for a 50 per cent winning record.

The latest crop may not be ready for next year's edition of the cup, at the Kildare Golf and Country Club in Ireland.

But pencil in these names to be making a decent bid for selection in 2008. 

Tournament records

Last person to successfully defend title: Corey Pavin (US) 1985-86

Tournament scoring record (4 rounds):

262 Rodger Davis (Australia), 1986 The Grange
266 Kel Nagle (Australia), 1964 Christchurch
267 Peter Thomson (Australia), 1961, New Plymouth
268 Grant Waite (NZ), 1992, Paraparaumu
269 Michael Campbell (right, NZ), 2000, Paraparaumu

Tournament scoring (single round):

62 Davis, 1986; Paul Gow (Australia) 2000
63 Thomson 1963; Ted Ball (Australia), Rick Barker (NZ) 1979, Vaughan Somers, 1988, Terry Price (Australia) 1991, Steve Moriarty (Australia), 1995

Last amateur winner:

Harry Berwick (Australia) 1956

Last New Zealand amateur winner:

Bob Charles, 1954

Best amateur performance in past 25 years:

2nd: Brad Heaven (New Zealand) 2004
5th: Adam Groom (Australia), 2002
7th equal: Steve Alker (New Zealand), 1987

Most titles:

9 Thomson 1950-51, 53, 55, 59-61, 65, 71
7 Nagle 1957-58, 62, 64, 67-69; Andy Shaw (NZ) 1926, 29-32, 34, 36

Lowest fourth round to win title:

64 Nagle 1964, Christchurch; Matthew Lane (NZ) 1998, Formosa; Michael Campbell (NZ) 2000 Paraparaumu

The past 20 New Zealand Open champions

1984 C. Pavin (US) Paraparaumu Beach
1985 Pavin, Russley, Christchurch
1986 R. Davis (Australia) The Grange, Auckland
1987 R. Rafferty (Ireland) Wellington Golf Club, Heretaunga
1988 I. Stanley (Australia) Paraparaumu Beach
1989 G. Turner (NZ) Paraparaumu Beach
1991 Davis, Paraparaumu Beach
1992 G. Waite (NZ) Paraparaumu Beach
1993 P. Fowler (Australia) Paraparaumu Beach
1994 C. Jones (Australia) Remuera, Auckland
1995 L. Parsons (Australia) Heretaunga
1995 P. O'Malley (Australia) The Grange
1996 M. Long (NZ) Paraparaumu Beach
1997 Turner, Middlemore, Auckland
1998 M. Lane (NZ) Formosa, Auckland
2000 M. Campbell (NZ) Paraparaumu Beach
2001 D. Smail (NZ) The Grange
2002 C. Parry (Australia) Paraparaumu Beach
2003 M. Pearce (NZ) Middlemore
2004 T. Price (Australia) The Grange