Nicolas Colsaerts hangs tough in bid for last-minute clinching of Ryder Cup berth

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Ryder Cup hopeful Nicolas Colsaerts got a congratulatory handshake from his playing partner Thomas Bjorn, who is also a Ryder Cup assistant captain, after their round on Friday.

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PA Sport 

Series: European Tour

GLENEAGLES, Scotland -- Nicolas Colsaerts really dug deep to keep his Ryder Cup dream alive -- and possibly spare European Captain Jose Maria Olazabal a nightmare scenario – on Friday.

The 29-year-old Belgian needs to win or finish second in the Johnnie Walker Championship this week to earn an automatic spot on the European Ryder Cup team, and he goes into the weekend tied for seventh and only three shots behind co-leaders Mark Foster and Richard Finch.

Colsaerts, who won the Volvo World Match Play title in May and was seventh at the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship on Monday, has the chance to knock Martin Kaymer out of the 10th and final automatic spot. If he fails to do that, Olazabal might have the far more difficult decision of choosing between Colsaerts and three-major winner Padraig Harrington for his final wild-card spot – Ian Poulter is widely believed to have the first wild card locked up.

"It was not enjoyable," Colsaerts admitted after a battling 2-under-par 70 lifted him to 5 under at halfway at Gleneagles. "It wasn't a very convincing round until a couple of holes to go."

He fell back into a tie for 28th when he bogeyed the seventh and 13th, but three birdies in the last five holes boosted not just his hopes, but also his mood. The finish also allows him to sleep in longer before he tees off again on Saturday, and that could be important after jet lag appeared to play a part in his struggles on Friday.

"You can feel the freshness is not totally there and it was kind of a grind," he said, "but I didn't shoot myself out and the three birdies were very important."

Foster is hoping for a "Super Saturday" three weeks after being there in the Olympic stadium for Britain's greatest night of athletics ever. The 37-year-old from Worksop, whose only European Tour win came nine years ago, led the 2011 Johnnie Walker by one with one hole to play last year, took a bogey on the last hole and then lost out in a five-man playoff.

He shot 68, while Finch, best remembered for falling in a river on the final hole as he won the 2008 Irish Open, had a 67.

They are a stroke ahead of Scotland's Paul Lawrie and Australian Brett Rumford, while among those just one behind Colsaerts is tournament chairman Colin Montgomerie -- 510th in the world and at 49 trying to become the oldest winner in European Tour history.

Lawrie and Italian Francesco Molinari are the only two certain members of Olazabal's side in the field and both could yet win. Molinari, whose brother Edoardo lifted the title two years ago and was rewarded with a Ryder Cup wild card, stands 4 under.

Olazabal himself missed the cut, as did two of his assistants Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley.

Defending champion Thomas Bjorn is another assistant captain, and he will resume 3 under and still with an outside chance of a successful defense of the title. If he achieves it, he might suddenly come back into the reckoning for a wild card.

Ravens Conquered by Vikings

Posted Aug 16, 2008

By Mike Duffy



Quarterback race continues to remain cloudy.


The Ravens were looking for one of their three quarterbacks to separate themselves from the pack in Saturday’s preseason home opener. But, at the end of Baltimore’s 23-15 loss to the Minnesota Vikings at M&T Bank Stadium, the picture under center remained as muddy as ever.

Troy Smith was given the best opportunity to shine as the starter, but he only attempted five passes for a limited Ravens offense. Minnesota held the ball for 17:56 of the first half, eating up four scoring drives along the way.

Meanwhile, Smith went 3-of-5 for 25 yards, losing an interception on his final pass of the night.

It was not necessarily the game-changing performance Smith was expecting.

“There were definitely some situations where we could’ve done better,” Smith said. “That’s what the preseason is all about, where you go out there and keep learning. You make those mistakes and you iron them out.

“Then, you come out stronger in the regular season.”

Consistently chased around the pocket behind a line that featured two reserve tackles, Smith endured three sacks while rushing three times for 35 yards.

“We didn’t protect the quarterback the way you have to,” said offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. “Troy did make some plays with his legs. He has a knack for that.”

Instead, the offense was powered by the strong legs of rookie running back Ray Rice. The second-round draft pick received one of the loudest ovations during team introductions, and he fulfilled expectations of an announced crowd of 70,585 fans by busting loose for a 42-yard run his first carry.

Rice was the bright spot for a unit that had trouble sustaining long series. Rice’s big carry was followed by a 6-yard touchdown run, but that would mark the only offensive addition to the scoreboard.

“It started off really well, and then it got a little stagnant,” said center Jason Brown. “We have to work on finishing. We camm out and started running the ball really well, which is important when you’re establishing tempo early in the gagme.

“We have to continue doing those positive things and sustain that momentum.”

When Smith gave way to Kyle Boller in the second half, that momentum continued to stall. Boller, who completed eight of his 12 passes for 40 yards, led two three-and-outs before finally crossing into Minnesota territory one snap into the fourth quarter.

Even though that drive was capped by a Sam Koch punt, cornerback Derrick Martin quickly represented the defense, picking off Vikings rookie quarterback John David Booty initial pass and taking it to the end zone.

Checking in with 8:01 left in the game, rookie Joe Flacco was hampered by a furious Vikings pass rush, as he was sacked twice in his brief appearance.