European Open to decide on 2006 course

Ryder Cup Ltd and Smurfit European Open Golf Championship are currently "undergoing a full and detailed evaluation of which course…

Ryder Cup Ltd and Smurfit European Open Golf Championship are currently "undergoing a full and detailed evaluation of which course should host the 2006 Smurfit European Open".

The news came via a joint statement issued ahead of today's final round at the K-Club where Denmark's Thomas Bjorn holds a four shot lead on eight under.

All week a considerable amount of players, including Padraig Harrington, said it made no sense to play the event on the other Smurfit Course.

The view has been taken that it would best serve all parties to hold this event on the same Palmer Course where the Ryder Cup will take place. Harrington added that three months, period between the two events, is plenty of time to get the course back into the desired condition for the Ryder Cup.

READ MORE

"All parties involved are being consulted and a decision will be made public as soon as this process is complete. At this time, it is the intention of the organisers to play the 2006 European Open on the Smurfit Course," the statement concluded.

Meanwhile, Italy's Constantino Rocca was disqualified from this year's tournament after failing to appear on the first tee in time, something the US Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman also did yesterday.

This tardy behaviour cost the Italian the opportunity to complete the event whereas Lehman was penalised two shots.

Rocca was still at his hotel when he was due at the first for his 8.41am tee-time with Sweden's Leif Westerberg because he missed his alarm call. Rocca made a nice gesture to his fellow tour player by joining his partner on the sixth when he finally arrived at the K-Club.

The Swede had been playing with a walking scorer up to that point. The confusion in Lehman's case arose when he thought his Saturday tee-time was 10.27am instead of 10.17am.

He was made aware of the error seconds before the correct time and raced to the first tee. However, because he was not in a position to be ready to play he was penalised two shots under European Tour rules.

"There are no excuses I was just stupid and an embarrassing thing to happen," said Lehman.

"I am 46 and have never showed up late for a tee time up until now."

Bjorn's closest pursuers are France's Raphael Jacquelin and England's Jonathan Lomas who are both four under.

The Irish challenge is jointly headed-up by Darren Clarke and Damien McGrane on one under.

They are probably too far back to mount any serious challenge to Bjorn's lead. Gary Murphy will start at one over, as will Graeme McDowell, who plays alongside the US Open champion Michael Campbell for the final round.