Ian Woosnam has been on tour for 30 years, but he is learning that life doesn't get any easier and that there are still plenty of twists and turns and unexpected happenings to be encountered.

When the first round tee-times for last week's Nissan Irish Open plopped onto the desk in front of Woosnam, he was somewhat surprised to see that two players who definitely wouldn't be part of the Ryder Cup action at The K Club were to be his on-course buddies for a couple of days.

Rather than running an eye over aspiring members of his European team, the Ryder Cup captain curiously spent his time with Argentinians Ricardo Gonzalez and Eduardo Romero.

It wasn't what he expected, certainly not in this year of years.

"I found it very strange," admitted Woosie yesterday of the fact that he hadn't been given a chance to appraise potential members.

Had Woosnam asked, as previous captains had done, to be paired with specific players?

"No, I just presumed they (the Tour) would do it," he replied. "I'm asking now."

Starting this week, though, Woosnam - who makes a milestone 500th appearance in a European Tour event in the BMW Championship - will get the chance for an up close and personal view of aspiring Ryder Cup candidates: he plays the first two rounds here with Paul Lawrie, a one-time Ryder Cup member, and Brian Davis, who has not yet played in the match.

The Ryder Cup may be three months away yet, but it is occupying just about all of Woosnam's thoughts. He's so pre-occupied with the trappings of captaincy that he has even written his speech.

"It's been done for a year . . . it's all about practising it, and having confidence," he remarked.

Just what the make-up of the 12-man team will be, however, remains to be seen.

In his own mind, Woosnam knows what players he would like to have for the task of defending the most famous trophy in team golf.

"I have an idea, (but) I just have to wait to see how things pan out. There's a lot of tournaments and money to be won. There's a lot of players on the outskirts of it, and it will be interesting to see for myself how it ends up in three months' time."

Woosnam's recent comments encouraging US Tour-based players currently out of an automatic qualifying place to increase the number of tournaments they play in Europe has resulted in some positive moves, among them from Padraig Harrington who has added the French Open to his schedule.

Woosnam observed: "If you don't play in the tournaments and you don't get the points, you're not going to get in the team. You don't want to be left feeling like you're going to get a pick."

However, in terms of using his two wild cards, Woosnam seemed to backtrack slightly in assessing how he would use them.

When asked if it would count against players if they hadn't shown a loyalty to the European Tour, Woosnam replied: "I will do what I think is best for the team."

As things stand, Colin Montgomerie is one of those guaranteed a place in Woosnam's team for Straffan in September; but the Scot is also one of those struggling with his game at the moment, having missed seven cuts in his last nine tournaments. Worried?

"Well, Monty, lately has had his ups and downs and he is just having one of his downs. Maybe when he comes around to the Ryder Cup, he'll be having one of his ups again."

It's going to be a long summer, that's for sure.

But instead of watching non-Europeans as he had to do at Carton House, at least it seems Woosie will be able to appraise potential team members as he endures the longest three months of his life.