Golf: Hoch calls Ryder Cup veto 'asinine'

Scott Hoch, hoping to make his Ryder Cup debut against Europe at Valderrama next year, has described statements by his fellow Americans Brad Faxon and Davis Love III that he should be barred from the team because he did not play in last week's Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes as "asinine".

Hoch, who starts the defence his title at the Dutch Open at Hilversum today, is second in the US Ryder Cup points table behind the new Open champion, Tom Lehman.

"I've always thought that America and Britain were free countries and that you could play where you like," Hoch said. "I'm not going to get into a verbal war with Brad and Davis because I'm not going to lower myself to their level. To say I should be banned from the Ryder Cup because I didn't play the British Open was asinine."

Hoch said he did not play at Royal Lytham because "I'm not very good at links golf".

The entry at Hilversum includes John Daly, Sam Torrance, Costantino Rocca, Howard Clark and David Gilford, plus the British Amateur champion, Warren Bladon.