Faldo urges Torrance to continue as Cup captain

At this rate Sam Torrance may have no choice but to carry on as Europe's Ryder Cup captain. Nick Faldo, who with Bernhard Langer was expected to be in the running to take over the post, yesterday said the Scot should carry on after victory at The Belfry on Sunday.

Langer, who played in his 10th Ryder Cup match at the age of 45, said immediately after that he was thinking about giving it one more go. Now Faldo, who was at The Belfry working for British and American television, has decided he too would rather be at Oakland Hills in Detroit in two years time as a member of the team.

Faldo has spent much of the last year letting it be known that he was interested in doing the job, and sooner rather than later. But yesterday he said: "I am officially withdrawing my unofficial application.

"I am going to try and play my way on to the team. I am going to try and give it one more go. It will be a good incentive for me for the next two years," added the Englishman.

Faldo did not play in the last two matches and, like Langer, will be 47 at the time of the next match. After gaining three and a half points at The Belfry, the German is one behind both Faldo's records for number of appearances, 11, and total points, 25.

With a 75 on the Old Course, including a double bogey six at the 17th hole, in the opening round of the Dunhill Links Championship, Faldo hardly got his campaign off to the best start. "Let's not talk about today," he said, with feeling.

An alternative subject was easily at hand. "It was fantastic and it was great to be there in that atmosphere," he said. "Those who played in the 1987 match when we won in America for the first time might still put that at No 1 but these guys will say this was the best one.

"Sam should definitely stay on after that. He did such a fine job. He didn't put a foot wrong. He spoke well, he came up with great partnerships and created a great team spirit. On that performance I'd vote for him for the next one."

When it comes to finding a new Langer, Padraig Harrington may be the man. The Irishman is just as assiduous in his preparations and work ethic and yesterday led the way of the nine Ryder Cup players with a 66 at Carnoustie, one behind the leader Eduardo Romero, the Scottish Open champion.

Among the most famous of Langer's victories were those at the German Masters in 1991, a week after missing the putt that would have given Europe victory at Kiawah Island, and at the same tournament in 1995, immediately following the Ryder Cup victory at Oak Hill.

Harrington showed similar resilience yesterday and, after the roars of The Belfry, was not even disturbed by the sound of gunfire from the neighbouring army range. A teetotaller, Harrington managed a swig from a champagne bottle on Sunday. "I didn't like the taste of it but it was liquid and I was thirsty."

Thomas Bjorn had a 67, Colin Montgomerie a 70 and Pierre Fulke a 79 at Carnoustie, while Lee Westwood struggled to a 76 at Kingsbarns. Phillip "tell 'em who I beat" Price, conqueror of Phil Mickelson on Sunday, was the only team member playing at St Andrews and birdied four of the first seven holes.

He finished with a 69 but admitted his concentration was not quite there on the back nine. Neither was the atmosphere that inspired him on Sunday. "Every time I holed a putt I was waiting for the roar," Price said, "but there was only the sound of the seagulls."