The
Ryder Cup
in association with Genuity International |
| | | Controversy
still surrounds Lehman non-selection European
Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance is refusing to be dogged by any lingering Tom Lehman
controversy. A
report in Tuesday's Daily Express newspaper claimed Lehman believes he was omitted
from the American team because of a "personal vendetta" against the
Scottish golfer. But
Torrance said in a statement: "We are looking forwards, not backwards and
I am not about to be deflected from my task by issues that as far as I'm concerned
rest with the past. "I'm
positive I speak for Curtis (Strange, the America team captain) as well as myself
when I say that we expect the Ryder Cup to be played with passion and pride in
a sporting atmosphere." Torrance
and Lehman's feud dates back two years, to the last Ryder Cup match at Brookline.
Torrance was
critical of Lehman's behaviour amid wild scenes on the 17th green as, with victory
in sight for the Americans, Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal waited to make a crucial
putt. Lehman
was dubbed the "Beast of Brookline" and Torrance said at the time: "And
Tom Lehman calls himself a man of God." Lehman
was expected to be an automatic pick for the American team for the renewal of
the biennial Ryder Cup rivalries at The Belfry from September 28-30. But
he lost his place to David Toms before Strange picked Paul Azinger and Scott Verplank
as his wildcards. The
Express quotes Lehman as saying: "At first I thought Curtis was joking. "If
he's going to judge me on my play over the last few weeks, that's a little short-sighted.
"I was down,
but nobody was going to have more incentive than me."
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