Thomas Bjorn has heavily criticised Ian Woosnam, Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, after he was omitted from the team to face the United States at the K Club in Ireland on September 22.
Bjorn let rip after Woosnam opted for Lee Westwood as his second wild card for the defence of the trophy. “I feel gutted,” said the 35-year-old. “I think he has been very poor. A friend of mine he isn’t - and I don’t have a problem saying that.
“He’s not taken charge of the captaincy in the way I see a captain should take charge and it’s disappointing. He’s put a lot of guys through misery by not talking to them.
“He never called me [before or after announcing Westwood as his pick]. He came into the bar at the hotel and gave me 20 seconds about Lee having won twice at the K Club. In a bar - that kind of sums it up.
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“He can’t walk up to me, tell me in 20 seconds and expect me to be happy. I’m very disappointed. I think he’s been very poor in the way he’s handled the players.”
However, Bjorn made it clear that he has nothing against Westwood as a person or a player. “I have nothing but good to say about Lee, Darren and the other ten [players]. The first person I called when I heard was Lee to congratulate him. I’m happy for him because I know how much it means to him. He will put in a great performance because he always does.
“I want the team to play their best and win. They have a great chance and they need to stick together. But I don’t care about Woosie.”
Woosnam explained that his choice of Westwood was based, aside from his cup record and improving form, on his successes in the Smurfit European Open at the K Club [in 1999 and 2000] and that had tipped the scales in his favour. “Lee has won tournaments around the world, he got 4½ points out of five two years ago and he has won twice at the K Club,” Woosnam said. “That was sufficient for me to go for him.” Bjorn, on the other hand, is best remembered for running up an 11 on the 17th in a last round 86 last year after going into the final day of the tournament four shots clear.
“If that’s what it’s come down to then why didn’t he tell me ‘I don’t think you’ve got the bottle to stand on the 17th tee’? If that’s what it came down to then I would have liked him to tell me.
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“Yes Lee’s won twice there. But Nick Faldo and Seve Ballesteros won at Augusta and I don’t think they’d be picked if this Ryder Cup was being played there.
“Woosie played with me when I finished second at the K Club [in 2001] by finishing three-four-three.” That is eagle-birdie-birdie in the last three holes and it won Bjorn a £100,000 diamond for playing the par fives in 14 under that week. “So I’ve had good experiences there too. But if it’s come down to one bad one then why didn’t he tell me.
“I had the bottle to hit the first shot at The Belfry four years ago. I jumped at it. There was no issue with me then.
“If you don’t want to get to know your players then you have to pick on performance and he’s certainly not done that. It’s very clear to me he’s not, so I’ve got to put it down to something personal and that makes me feel sad.”