This is Devon --
Great Britain and Ireland's team for next week's Seve Trophy will not feature any of the top six qualifiers who, as expected, have all turned down the chance to play in the biennial event against Europe.
Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Graeme McDowell, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter will not travel to France as Sam Torrance's side attempt to claim a seventh win in succession against a Europe team captained by Jose Maria Olazabal.
Europe's Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, who appointed Torrance and Olazabal, said: "I'm not too disheartened they're not coming over. I've seen those six players. I know what they can do.
"I'm interested in attending the debrief with Sam and Jose Maria over a glass of French red wine, interested to hear what they have to say as to how the guys moulded in."
Olazabal's side features three players he led to Ryder Cup victory in the 'Miracle at Medinah' last year in Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, Swede Peter Hanson and Italian Francesco Molinari, as well as two of his vice-captains, Denmark's Thomas Bjorn and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez.
The quintet will be joined at St-Nom-La Breteche by Finland's Mikko Ilonen and Italian Matteo Manassero, along with rookies Gregory Bourdy, Joost Luiten and Thorbjorn Olesen.
Olazabal, who was also captain in 2005, said: "I think we have a very strong team this year with a good mix of players with Ryder Cup experience and some exciting, talented younger players such as Matteo, Joost and Thorbjorn.
"It is a tournament and a competition that was very close to Seve's heart and we will have to show some of his fighting spirit to win this year and improve on our recent record," he added.
Torrance's side contains just one Medinah team member in Scotland's Paul Lawrie, although three-times Ryder Cup player Paul Casey is included along with his fellow Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood, David Lynn, Simon Khan and Bristol's Chris Wood.
Lawrie is joined by fellow Scots Marc Warren, Stephen Gallacher and Scott Jamieson, with Welshman Jamie Donaldson completing the ten-man team. Torrance said: "It promises to be an exciting contest. I've a few ideas about pairings already."
Lawrie, who is preparing to play in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland today, is in no doubt about the value of going to France and honouring the memory of Seve Ballesteros.
He said: "I think it's important. You're representing Great Britain and Ireland. You're representing Seve and what he stood for, for Europe.
"I'd walk to Paris to play on that team next week, I would have done whatever it would have taken." Reported by This is 13 hours ago.
Great Britain and Ireland's team for next week's Seve Trophy will not feature any of the top six qualifiers who, as expected, have all turned down the chance to play in the biennial event against Europe.
Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Graeme McDowell, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter will not travel to France as Sam Torrance's side attempt to claim a seventh win in succession against a Europe team captained by Jose Maria Olazabal.
Europe's Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley, who appointed Torrance and Olazabal, said: "I'm not too disheartened they're not coming over. I've seen those six players. I know what they can do.
"I'm interested in attending the debrief with Sam and Jose Maria over a glass of French red wine, interested to hear what they have to say as to how the guys moulded in."
Olazabal's side features three players he led to Ryder Cup victory in the 'Miracle at Medinah' last year in Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, Swede Peter Hanson and Italian Francesco Molinari, as well as two of his vice-captains, Denmark's Thomas Bjorn and Spaniard Miguel Angel Jimenez.
The quintet will be joined at St-Nom-La Breteche by Finland's Mikko Ilonen and Italian Matteo Manassero, along with rookies Gregory Bourdy, Joost Luiten and Thorbjorn Olesen.
Olazabal, who was also captain in 2005, said: "I think we have a very strong team this year with a good mix of players with Ryder Cup experience and some exciting, talented younger players such as Matteo, Joost and Thorbjorn.
"It is a tournament and a competition that was very close to Seve's heart and we will have to show some of his fighting spirit to win this year and improve on our recent record," he added.
Torrance's side contains just one Medinah team member in Scotland's Paul Lawrie, although three-times Ryder Cup player Paul Casey is included along with his fellow Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood, David Lynn, Simon Khan and Bristol's Chris Wood.
Lawrie is joined by fellow Scots Marc Warren, Stephen Gallacher and Scott Jamieson, with Welshman Jamie Donaldson completing the ten-man team. Torrance said: "It promises to be an exciting contest. I've a few ideas about pairings already."
Lawrie, who is preparing to play in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland today, is in no doubt about the value of going to France and honouring the memory of Seve Ballesteros.
He said: "I think it's important. You're representing Great Britain and Ireland. You're representing Seve and what he stood for, for Europe.
"I'd walk to Paris to play on that team next week, I would have done whatever it would have taken." Reported by This is 13 hours ago.