Torrance exhausted after Ryder Cup victory
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Your support makes all the difference.The European Ryder Cup captain, Sam Torrance, who was always a doubt for the Dunhill Links Championship here, withdrew from the pro-am tournament yesterday admitting that the euphoria of winning the Cup had caught up with him.
"I have been carried along on a tide of emotion since Sunday and feel physically and emotionally drained by the euphoria of the Ryder Cup victory," said the 49-year-old Scot, who also has a neck injury which forced him to miss the German Masters three weeks ago.
"I have a problem with my neck and in the circumstances I don't feel fully prepared to play this week. I intend to spend some time at home with my family."
Paul McGinley, who holed the winning putt for Europe in the Ryder Cup on Sunday, will present the ball with which he holed that crucial putt to Torrance. The ball, which would command a huge price on the sporting memorabilia market, was safely retrieved from the hole by the Irishman's caddie, J P Fitzgerald, while members of the European team celebrated on the 18th green.
"It is in a very safe place," McGinley said. "A friend of mine is a jeweller in Ireland and he is going to mount it, put it in a nice case and engrave the names of the players in silver. We will present to Sam on behalf of the team. It's the least we can do. I'd love to keep it myself but I think he is deserving of it. It will be a little thank you from the players back to Sam and I'm sure he'll cherish it."
Nine members of Europe's team – all except Sergio Garcia, Jesper Parnevik and Bernhard Langer – are participating in the £3m pro-am, over £500,000 of which goes to Sunday's winner.
Ernie Els, who finished second behind Paul Lawrie last year, may join Torrance as a late withdrawal as his wife, Liezl, is due to give birth to their second child at any moment. "The due date is next week," Els said, "and hopefully she will hang on because if she doesn't, I'll be out of here. I desperately want to be there for the birth. I'm sure others would do the same."
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