No choice between Belfry and World Cup for Dredge

Published on Thursday 4 September 2008 09:44

A CLASH of dates later this month between the British Masters and the World Cup qualifying event in Poland is not something that is troubling Bradley Dredge.

Despite winning the World Cup with Stephen Dodd in 2005 and representing Wales in the event in each of the last six years, 35-year-old Dredge's European Tour career comes first.

Like holders Scotland – they won in China last year thanks to Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren – the Welsh are waiting to learn if they have to qualify for November's event.

But Dredge, disappointed to have fallen to 110th in the world from 53rd at the start of the year, said: "I won't be going to the qualifier.

"I won't go to Poland and miss The Belfry. It's not a tough one to weigh up for me – I love the event and it is a great golf course, but the Order of Merit and world ranking points are more important."

The 18 exempt nations for the World Cup are determined by this week's world rankings and, if everyone was to play, the Scots would be ranked only 21st and Wales 23rd.

However, players are given another week to commit to the event and a large number of withdrawals can be expected for a tournament which sadly no longer attracts the big names.

America, for example, were represented by Heath Slocum and Boo Weekley last year – they lost a play-off – and the Australian pair were Nick O'Hern and Nathan Green.

Dredge was today set to continue his bid to start climbing the rankings at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland. He won the title by a massive eight shots two years ago and, last September, was one shot away from the play-off in which Australian Brett Rumford beat England's Phillip Archer.

He did not even come close to making the Ryder Cup, though, and added: "Unfortunately I haven't done well in the Ryder Cup years. I'm trying to buck that trend as soon as I can."

The added incentive for 2010, of course, is the match comes to Wales for the first time.