Monty to get close-up look at Pavin in China

COLIN Montgomerie and Corey Pavin, the European and US captains for October's Ryder Cup, will face each other as players for the only time this year at the China Open later this month. American Pavin, 50, will be making his debut in the $2.5 million European Tour and OneAsia sanctioned event in Suzhou and said he wanted to put one over on Scot Montgomerie.

"I am looking forward to mixing it with him in what will be our only competitive setting ahead of my US team defending the Ryder Cup in Wales later this year," the 1995 US Open champion said in a news release.

"It will be great to showcase the Ryder Cup in China with both Colin and me playing in the China Open and let there be no doubt about it, we will both be going all out to win it and seize the initiative."

Eight-time European champion Montgomerie, 46, played at the China Open in Beijing last year and has won three titles in greater China over the years.

"I have enjoyed a good record in China, winning the TCL in 2002 and both the Hong Kong Open and the Macau Open, so I would love to add China's national open championship to make it a full house," he said.

Both will be non-playing captains when their teams clash at the 38th Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor Golf Club in Wales from 1-3 October.

Asia's first major winner Yang Yong-eun, who won the PGA Championship last year, heads the China Open field at Jinji Lake International from 15-18 April.