COLOGNE, Germany, 18 September 2003 — Nick Faldo criticized Bernhard Langer yesterday for leaving Europe’s Ryder Cup captaincy up in the air but said he will not take over the reins if the German qualifies for the team.

Langer said recently that he may hand over the captaincy if he is in a position to qualify for the team via one of the two points tables in operation.

Former world No. 1 Faldo, who begins his bid today to play in his 12th Ryder Cup, did not apply for the captaincy because he wanted to make the team. “When does he (Langer) change his mind? After the shirts have been selected or before?,” Faldo said. “I’m surprised they (the tournament committee that voted in Langer) didn’t ascertain that fact beforehand,” the Briton added.

“You would have thought that would have been one of the questions for the committee to decide on. Bernhard needs to make the decision a lot earlier and I would have thought it would be a tough thing mentally to have two decisions going on in your mind. You must think ‘which one am I going to commit to? If Langer steps down the tournament committee will decide on the new captain. “If you are the captain you want to put an awful lot of your personal touches to it in everything and then to suddenly hand it over to someone else is not very nice,” Faldo said. The 46-year-old Faldo has not played in the Ryder Cup since helping Europe beat the United States in 1997 at Valderrama, Spain, and he needs to qualify from a top-five finish in one of the points tables.

Expectant Father Leaney

Pulls Out of German Masters

In London, Defending champion Stephen Leaney of Australia has withdrawn from this week’s German Masters to be with his wife Tracey for the birth of their first child, the European Tour said yesterday.

Leaney’s place in the Cologne field will be taken by Sweden’s Fredrik Andersson, the Tour said in a statement. “My wife has gone into pre-labor back home in Perth,” the Australian said. “There is nothing wrong with her or the baby, I must stress, but I just want to get home,” added Leaney, who finished runner-up to American Jim Furyk in this year’s US Open at Olympia Fields.

Weir Boost for World

Match Play Championship

US Masters champion Mike Weir will play in the revamped World Match Play Championship next month for the biggest winner’s check on the European and US tours, organizers said yesterday.

The 33-year-old Canadian, the first left-hander in 40 years to win one of golf’s four majors, will challenge for a one million pound ($1.60 million) first prize at Wentworth, England (Oct. 16-19).

Weir is the only player to record a top-three finish in two majors this year, having followed up his Augusta triumph with joint third at the US Open in June.

Farry Cleared of Drug

Taking by French Federation

Frenchman Marc Farry was cleared by the French Golf Federation (FGF) yesterday of taking illegal drugs.

Farry returned a positive dope test in the French Open at Le Golf National in June, but the FGF has accepted that the 44-year-old professional was taking cortisone only to help relieve tendonitis of a wrist.