RYDER CUP:Jose Maria Olazabal is expected to be named as Europe's next Ryder Cup captain next month.
A press conference has been scheduled for January 18th in Abu Dhabi, where the European Tour’s four-week Middle East swing begins two days later.
Olazabal might well have led the side at Celtic Manor in October, but hesitated over throwing his hat into the ring and the tour’s tournament committee instead turned to Colin Montgomerie.
Immediately after regaining the trophy in Wales, Montgomerie confirmed he had no intention to stand for re-election and gave his support to Olazabal taking over for the 2012 match at Medinah in Chicago.
The only problem for the Spaniard has been his health. He has been battling rheumatic pains for well over a decade and played only one tournament in the first nine months of this year.
But even if he cannot commit himself to a full schedule next season he is the obvious candidate for the captaincy after serving as Nick Faldo’s assistant in Louisville two years ago.
Paul McGinley was also considered a leading contender for the job.
SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN:Persistent rain forced organisers to abandon the first day of the South African Open in Durban.
The weather meant only half the field teed off for the 100th edition of the competition, with just six completing nine holes.
Neither Damien McGrane nor Michael Hoey began their rounds.
The persistent drizzle came and went at the Durban Country Club, making parts of the course unplayable.
Round one will resume this morning.
Tournament director Gary Todd said: “We’ve had in excess of three inches of rain – that’s a massive amount.
“The key is to get 36 holes in, which constitutes a tournament. So we’ll finish round one on Friday and then start round two on Saturday.
“So we’ll get round two done and make a cut. Then we’ll see how things pan out and what the weather looks like. It will either be a 36-hole final round with a limited field or a 54-hole round with a full cut, 65 and ties.”
Meanwhile, South Africa has agreed to change the dates of its biggest two tournaments to avoid clashing with next year’s rescheduled Dubai World Championship and to make sure they continue to be part of the European Tour.
“We have come to an agreement with the European Tour,” Gareth Tindall, commissioner of the Sunshine Tour, told reporters, adding the new dates for the Alfred Dunhill Championship and South African Open had yet to be decided.
“We have got to be smart in terms of the way we schedule our co-sanctioned events,” he said. “Everything is becoming about time-zones and how golfers travel.”
LET FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL:Martina Gillen signed for a three-over 74 second round to lie in 37th place at La Manga, some 11 shots off the leader, Caroline Hedwall of Sweden.
Danielle McVeigh improved slightly on an opening 81 with a 77 – with not one birdie – to be in 87th place on 14 over par with a huge task now of making the cut.
After four rounds, there will be a cut to the leading 50 players. Those in positions 31 to 50 will earn limited tournament starts.
Meanwhile, the 2011 Ladies European Tour schedule, announced yesterday, opens from February 3rd with the Australian Open in Melbourne and will conclude with the Dubai Ladies Masters.
The schedule includes the new Prague Masters from September 8th and The Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle, Co Meath, from September 23rd-25th.
The British Open will be played at Carnoustie for the first time from July 28th-31st.
The following week’s Ladies Irish Open at Killeen Castle will provide a dress rehearsal for The Solheim Cup.
