Sir Nick Faldo resumes hosting duties at the Betfred British Masters at The Belfry this week where both he and former tournament host Luke Donald will have a keen eye on the start of the qualification campaign for the 2025 European Ryder Cup team.
Faldo returns to the tournament hosting role for the second consecutive year as the DP World Tour’s 2024 season enters its ‘Back 9’ at the renowned venue where Faldo made three of his 11 appearances for Europe in the biennial contest, in 1985, 1989 and 1993.
The six-time Major champion is keen to see some of the European players get off to a good start as the campaign to make Captain Donald’s 12-man European team for Bethpage Black next September begins in earnest.
Among those hoping to do that will be Tyrrell Hatton, one of his team members in Rome in 2023, who is targeting a fourth consecutive Ryder Cup appearance.
Despite having joined LIV Golf in January, Hatton has not given up his DP World Tour card and is awaiting a court decision on whether he will have to pay fines for the LIV Golf tournaments that he has played in that clashed with DP World Tour events.
Sir Nick Faldo said: “We have a very good field this week. I’ve got 16 of my Faldo Series alumni as well, a couple of Englishmen. The course looks great. Looks like it had a nice drop of rain – I thought it might be burnt in August after a baking summer, but we didn’t have that. I think we’ll have good excitement with the fans and it should be a fun week.
“It’s week one of Ryder Cup points, and I know with me, I would have been out there. It’s a great chance for somebody. I hope a European guy wins this week, and he’s like, good start. Get in there early. Get your points. I’m sure this is a goal, especially after Rome, a big goal of all the players that want to make the next team.”
RYDER CUP POINTS UP FOR GRABS
Luke Donald, who it teeing up this week, added: “I’ve watched many Ryder Cups and events at this place, but never actually played an event or played the course. I’m excited to be here and playing a British Masters.
“It’s exciting for me to see the points race starting. As a player, I remember when that started and I was very excited about getting going again, and kind of gave me an extra boost.
“And actually having a chat with Sir Nick, he was saying in Ryder Cup years, when the points started, even if I was 30th, I would grind to the last few holes to see if I could get 20 more points. You think about these things now and I think that’s exciting for the players.”
Incredibly, Tyrrell Hatton admitted that he has never played The Belfry before. He said: “This actually my first time here playing the golf course. When we walk past the tenth, I have hit that tee shot on my dad’s simulator over the years, so it’s exciting to finally be here. It’s an historic venue in British golf and European golf. So I’m very much looking forward to it.
“The Ryder Cup is certainly one of the reasons why I wanted to play this week. The Ryder Cup is really important to me and I’d love to be on that team next year, and this is the perfect week to try and get off to a good start.
“I think any time you’re playing in front of home fans is always going to be a special week and for me personally, I’d love to go out there and play really well. Make loads of birdies and give the crowd something to cheer about as will all the other English guys playing this week.”