Captains compare notes at Wentworth

A warm and welcoming chat with Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn has provided Albert MacKenzie with a couple of ‘golden nuggets’ ahead of the PGA Cup in September.

The Great Britain & Ireland captain met up with Bjorn and members of his Ryder Cup backroom team at the BMW PGA Championship last month.

MacKenzie picked up plenty of invaluable advice on how his side can beat America at Foxhills Resort and is delighted to have the backing of the Ryder Cup team.

“We asked him some questions that he answered very comprehensively and he seemed to be a very nice man, so we’re glad to be able to be a small part of his very important day," said MacKenzie.

“I asked him from his previous Ryder Cup experiences if there was anything he could pass on and the main thing I got from that was not to let the respect of players come out of their comfort zones.

“Although you want to bond them together as a team, because they spend a lot of time together and have their individual traits, it’s important that they’re still surrounded by their own traits, mannerisms and habits, which is why they’re successful in the first place. So that was some nice information to have.

“Although we will create a very strong bond and have a great team spirit, I think it’s important that the individuals need to be comfortable within that team environment and not taken too far away from their ‘norm’ – that’s very sound advice.”

Bjorn passed down his pearls of wisdom to Mackenzie and also posed for a picture alongside the Scot with the Ryder Cup trophy.

“The whole purpose of the meeting was to raise the profile of the PGA Cup and there was no finer platform than to be standing with the Ryder Cup next to the captain,” Mackenzie continued.

“It was a warm feeling to realise that the guys at the top level were willing to offer their time and support to underpin what we’re trying to achieve.

“Not only Thomas Bjorn, but Jamie Spence too, who is involved with all of the backroom side of things to do with the Ryder Cup.

“Myself and my two vice-captains spent a good half-an-hour with Jamie and again we exchanged some interesting thoughts. He gave us a couple of golden nuggets as well that we’ll be able to take away and use to our advantage."

Albert MacKenzie (middle) was a vice-captain along with Martyn Thompson (right) to Jon Bevan when Great Britain & Ireland beat America in 2005.

With seven places in the Great Britain and Ireland team for the PGA Cup still up for grabs, there is all still to play for at the PGA Professional Championship this move.

Luttrellstown Castle Resort in Ireland will host this year’s event, where the top six players will book their place on the team.

MacKenzie then has to pick a wild card to complete his ten-man team and he has been doing plenty of research.

“I’ve been looking at everyone’s scores very comprehensively this season. I’ve studied the profile of every player who is playing in Ireland this month.

“Not many guys to date have played in more than eight or nine medal rounds this year, so with it being very early on in the season, I think anyone who can produce a strong performance in Ireland could make it into the team.

“Obviously the top six will make it into the team, but I have a list and I would like to let players know that I would gladly return to that list should they play well in Ireland.

“I would also like to wish everyone who is competing in Ireland a very successful tournament.”

The Great Britain and Ireland team should be confirmed after the final day of competition in Ireland on June 16.

“I’m going to sit down after round three with my two vice-captains and we’ll have a good idea of how things are shaping up. We will be in a position then to make our list of picks a little tighter.

“If we need the weekend just to make sure we’re 100 per cent then we’ll use that wisely.”