Last chance to qualify for NEC Invitational

Half of last year's European Ryder Cup team could miss out on the chance to win a million dollars in the NEC World Championship in Ohio in two weeks' time.

The six - 1999 Open champion Paul Lawrie, fellow Scot Andrew Coltart, world number 10 Jesper Parnevik, Sergio Garcia, Jean Van de Velde and Jarmo Sandelin – are all struggling to make the top 12 in qualification.

The decision to make Mark James’ team qualify for the event was made by Europe’s tournament committee last October – while Ben Crenshaw’s American team were guaranteed their places.

The six-men have their last chance to qualify in Thursday’s £800,000 British Masters at Woburn – meaning a European could win next week’s US PGA Championship and still not be available for the world championship.

Paul Lawrie at the British Masters, watched by his coach Adam Hunter. Allsport.

The Swedish duo of Parnevik and Sandelin are almost certainly too far behind while Lawrie, Garcia and Van De Velde are outside the top 12. Coltart is 11th but being chased by the likes of Ian Woosnam, Brian Davis and Kent's Jamie Spence.

The eight players all guaranteed a spot from the Order of Merit are Lee Westwood, Darren Clarke, Colin Montgomerie, Thomas Bjorn, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Padraig Harrington, Phillip Price and Jose Maria Olazabal.

Scotland’s Gary Orr, currently in ninth spot, Paul McGinley (10th) and Mathias Gronberg can’t afford to miss the cut this week at Woburn.

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