Rory McIlroy pulls out of GB&I Vivendi Seve Trophy team

From BBC website - see http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/golf/14735041.stm for full story

US Open champion Rory McIlroy has pulled out of Great Britain and Ireland's team for the Seve Trophy.

The 22-year-old was part of the winning side two years ago and cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal had said he wanted to see as many big names as possible play.

But McIlroy said he wanted some time off before he began a run of 12 weeks on the road.

Interesting. Tweets from/about him suggest he arm is pretty much fully recovered. Presumably he already knew his schedule when the dates for the Seve trophy were announced

Would have tought this will be seen as disrespectful as it's the first time it's being played since the great mans departure, personally the Seve trophy was always something that filled a gap in the tours schedule and to showcase younger upcoming players, if they want the big names then they need to showcase it more like the presidents cup to draw in bigger crowds for fans and to bring in better players

No disrespect meant here towards seve but the seve trophy is a little small time for someone like McIlroy. I think it would in fact, as mav suggests, be better to see less established and younger players get priority over people like McIlroy.

It is odd that it was on his schedule if he knew this was a hectic period. It would also have been his last chance to play it as he will be playing the fedex at this time of year from now on.

It is amazing how some players seem incapable of interpreting a calendar at the start of the season. Rory seems to love his iphone so I hope some invents the pro golfer scheduling app sometime soon.

I agree that the Seve Trophy should not be for Ryder Cup vets like Rory (except in the role of, say, Senior Pro).

Lots of (artificial?) interest this year because of the great man's death, but this has a place in the golfing calendar for under 25's, perhaps under 30's, but not for top pros who have a cluttered schedule as it is. Ryder Cup players and over 30's excluded unless there's a mutual agreement to complete the team with a veteran player or two, say a Mark Foster or an Anders Hansen, a David Howell or a Rafa Jacquelin.

Think the best format would be something like under 25's e.g Thornjorn Olesson, Rhys Davies give them matchplay team experience with the addition of maybe 2 or 3 older guys to help them like Howel and Hansen as Kwini states that way could use it as a Ryder cup feeder event maybe rather than a full blown RC/Pres Cup

I wasn't aware this was usually targeted at younger or "lesser" names - but how does that tie in with Olly saying he'd hoped to see as many big names as possible? Could it be that they were trying to attract the bigger names this time around?

Davie

I will be honest it has always seemed to me that this was a non event on most pro's career highlights. No idea what the point of it is really, at least if it was aimed as a development event it would have a purpose. So maybe ollie would just doing the sponsors a favour in trying to raise its profile.

Mac,
Dead right. Event needs to be redefined.
100K (Euros) or whatever is on offer is peanuts to Rory or Sergio, but a very big deal to Colesaerts, Oleson, Wattel, perhaps Manassero or Davies, Horsey, Willett or Boyd. And it might actually mean something rather than be a glorified exhibition.

Does anyone know the line ups for this event?

Aftre this weeks event teams are set.
Doughety played last time no chance this year.

Someone calling himself Dougherty joint leader in Switzerland.
Wake him up Di would you please?

I wish more golfers would pull out of this pointless event.................

John Cregan wrote:I wish more golfers would pull out of this pointless event.................

Agree. It's a waste of time. At best it belongs on the challenge tour.

John Cregan wrote:I wish more golfers would pull out of this pointless event.................

I disagree. This event at least offers an opportunity for european players to play foursomes, one of the most difficult formats to master. Accordingly, I would change the format to singles and foursomes only, on the basis that 4-ball better ball is the type of format with which all male golfers, at all levels, are already familiar.

Don't forget that with the advent of the President's Cup, the yanks get team match play on an annual basis. If the europeans are to stay competitive in match play then so too must the europeans.

All very well and good, gael, but you're just not going to get the majority of the absolute top players wanting to add this to their schedule.
Got to redefine or at least modify the format. I'd go for youngsters only, with a Senior Pro to steer them around.

I don't think you need to "practice" foursomes really, especially one year before a RC.
The RC is a GREAT event, full of intrigue and needle. The Vivendi has nothing in comparison and is nothing more than an "exhibition" as young mac might say............i cont see a bunch of GB&I being in a team room shouting " "lets get those damn rest of europers", "who they they think they are, those italians and swedes"!!

kwini ... I understand that it's not a priority for the top players but I do think it has a place in giving european touring pros an opportunity to play match play team representative golf which, for some, may be the first time they've ever experienced.

"I don't think you need to "practice" foursomes really"

John Cregan ... on what basis do you make this assumption?

Gael,

I just don't think playing foursomes in an event like this gives you any help playing foursomes in a RC.

I think it's contrived. A GB&I team would have no natural affinity with each other and similarly with "Rest of Europe". I think players play it for 2 reasons (1) help their chances of a Ryder Cup Wild Card by being seen a a "Team europe" supporter and (2) im sure it's an enjoyable week for the players with no real pressure


As regards fans though, there is nothing in this for most golf fans. A dunhill cup type event would be much more enjoyable to me............

John Cregan ... I'm wondering if you've ever played team representative golf for it seems to me that had you, you wouldn't have said this ... "with no real pressure".

It doesn't matter to what level you play team golf, there is ALWAYS pressure involved when others are depending on you not to stuff it up by losing the team points! Nowhere is this pressure felt more than in a foursomes format where you don't have complete ownership of the ball and you have to always think about not where you want to play the next shot to but where your partner wants to play it from!

GG,

I have played for a team a few times and there was pressure........and given my 14 handicap, i was not always in a position to handle that pressure!!! I once missed a 3 foot putt on the 18th to win and we ended up with a half. Luckily for me we won the overall 3.5 to 2.5 !!I know some of the players love the Vivendi event, but it doesn't float my boat.........................

JC ... very honest of you to share that with the board. Integrity lives on!

I understand what you're saying and if I'm being honest, it doesn't exactly "float my boat" either BUT, if memory serves, I believe the principle reason it was introduced in the first place was to give potential RC players team match play practice.

Of course, this event doesn't match up to the President's Cup but for the reasons I stated earlier, I don't think that really matters too much. As far as I'm concerned, any team match play 'practice' is beneficial.

Problems I see with this event.

1. The name... The Vivendi by name doesn't make you think lets do it for the team, the RC does by nature of its history and the presidents does by virtue it's in the Presidents name regardless of if he actually gives 2 hoots about it. Yanks will play for the flag and ROW will want to simply beat the yanks

2.Does anyone actually know what the qualification criteria are or is it simply 2 captains pick their teams like in the playground leaving the naffest player till last or are their actual a points accumulated to gain position

3. When it appears in the Tour Schedule, doesn't inspire confidence, more of a filler to an empty week than a stand out event.

4. The simple fact it's GB&I v Europe, the very fact of this doesnt hold true, GB&I are part of Europe therefore playing against Europe doesn't hold up. Much like the Walker cup there's a reason GB&I get spanked regularly and this was addressed in the pro game when the RC became US v Europe.....

How i'd resolve these points, in reverse order.

4. Unify GB&I with Europe into team Europe like the regular RC gives better understanding of playing in a European team overall. Then play it against the sub continent of say Australasia so you get the aussies like Badds or the upcoming Aussies like Gaunt playing and players from Asia like, Noh, Ishikawa and KT KIm. This would give it something of edge team Europe gets to go against a strong team,

3. Place it at the end of the season after the race to Dubai, pre next season so it sits in that gap where we get a lot of events in Aus and Asia. Meaning can be played in good climates. Also means no mid season congestion

2.Set out the qulaification criteria properly for each event putting focus on some lesser events to get them more draw from players. Then at each event do what they do with the Pres cup/RC qualifying show us the standings and whose in and whose out. Also state to qualify you must play a minimum number of events e.g 13

1. Cange the name to something that would suit both continents ideas on a post card for that.

Hopefully what this would achieve is a mix of young ET guys looking to fight it out to get in the side e.g Ollesson, Sjoholm etc and a mix of Australasians playing would give a good chance to play against other upcoming talents in the game and show RC captains they maybe worth a pick. Also get some Vets like Howell or MAJ/McGinley playing to aid the youngsters and would still leave the superstars as they are now treated like McIlroy to not play and not be needed to play. May make it worth watching and the revenues created from Asia would help the ET gain more coverage out their