Lyle: I deserve Ryder job

Sandy Lyle insists he should lead Europe at next year’s Ryder Cup in Wales.

FRONTRUNNER Sandy Lyle FRONTRUNNER: Sandy Lyle

The announcement of the new captain is imminent and Lyle has emerged as a frontrunner for the role at Celtic Manor after Jose Maria Olazabal, who is skippering the Europe team in the Royal Trophy in Thailand, appeared to rule himself out.

It leaves Lyle in pole position to lock horns with American captain Corey Pavin and try to win back the Ryder Cup.

Lyle said: “As far as available captains go, there are not an awful lot around. I look like the favourable choice.

“There will always be a few people who see things differently in a group and you just never know – but I can’t see any reason why it shouldn’t be me, though.”

I look like the favourable choice

Sandy Lyle

The two-time Major winner played in five Ryder Cups and is the only one of Europe’s ‘big five’ yet to be awarded the honour of captaining the team.

But the 50-year-old is confident he can follow in the footsteps of Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam and Nick Faldo by leading Europe.

And he vowed not to repeat the mistakes made by his long-time rival Faldo last year in Valhalla, where his self-reliance failed to yield victory.

Lyle said: “It is no good the players seeing the captain getting all red-faced and flustered. They will think he might not be able to make the right decisions. It does not give the right impression.

“But you need to be forceful at the right time – forceful, decisive but also relaxed. That is what I would want to be. I am sure the players all feel I am approachable. You need to be laid-back.” 

Lyle identified successful 2006 captain Woosnam, who he served as an assistant at the K Club, as his main rival for the position.

“Obviously with Wales coming up, Woosie would be high in contention,” he continued. “A few of the committee are favouring me. This is my last chance to get the job and I feel I deserve the chance.

“If I do get selected I will probably play much more in Europe on the Seniors, to keep an eye on the European players.”

And the Scot said he would want winning captain Langer on his backroom staff.

“There are bound to be a lot of different nationalities in the team, so I would be very keen to have somebody like Bernhard working with me. He is so methodical and would provide a lot of feedback.”

But Lyle feels his own insight could be vital to Europe: “ I know pretty much how Corey works and I think I’ll know pretty much how the American team might think.”

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