If Nick Faldo's suggestion that he would seriously consider another offer to lead a Europe Ryder Cup team has done anything, it is that it has brought attention on the players' committee that will meet in Abu Dhabi early in the New Year to discuss the appointment of a captain for Celtic Manor in 2010.

Between now and then, one man will be watching proceedings with particular interest. As one of Europe's Famous Five, Sandy Lyle is bemused that he has rarely been considered a serious candidate when his other major-winning peers - Severiano Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer, Ian Woosnam and Faldo - have all had the chance to stamp their own mark on the biennial event.

In Dubai in 2005, Lyle stood by as the committee appointed Woosnam and Faldo for the next two Ryder Cups and barely paid lip-service to the Scot's request to be considered for the role. Nobody, he complained, had been bothered even to speak to him. Then, when it came to the match at the K Club, in Ireland, in 2006, Woosnam appointed Lyle in an assistant captain's role, but without a ringing endorsement. It would be fair to say that the former Masters and Open champion was barely visible that week.

Now the committee, chaired by Thomas Bjorn, risks snubbing one of Britain and Europe's finest players, particularly if, as has been suggested, they return to Langer or Woosnam. But in light of Faldo's indifferent performance at Valhalla in September, they would be right not to let their hearts rule their heads. They have to pick the man they feel will do the job. This should not be about Buggin's turn.

Among those lobbying for Lyle is Colin Montgomerie, who has his own ambitions of leading the team at Gleneagles in 2014. The fear of many is that Lyle, at 50, is too quiet and out of touch with the younger players. He also did himself no favours by walking out, unexplained, of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July, halfway through the first round. This, however, is a mere smokescreen for those wishing to deny his claims on the captaincy. One suggestion, however, is that Lyle could do the role if he had, say, Woosnam and Sam Torrance as his back-up team. On the surface, that sounds a good option although it would not dispel the feeling among the continental players that the Ryder Cup is a British-centric affair. This has to stop.

The man the committee would most like to pick is Jose Maria Olazabal, whose presence as a vice-captain at Valhalla was greatly appreciated by the players. But after a year in which the Spaniard succumbed to crippling rheumatoid arthritis, he wants to give himself every chance of playing his way onto the team and so would not be able to accept an offer made early in the season. For this reason, Bjorn has not ruled out the possibility that a decision could be postponed until later in the year. By that time, Olazabal will know for sure if his health and his game have returned.

And if it is not to be Olazabal, then why not Miguel Angel Jimenez? Another popular Spaniard, Jimenez is calm under pressure and is unlikely to let any of the hoopla surrounding the match bother him unduly. If anything will work against him, however, it is his relatively poor command of the English language, which could prove bothersome when it comes to the opening and closing ceremonies and the endless press conferences leading up to, and during, the match itself. Should the choice be affected by these reasons, however? Absolutely not.

There is nothing in the rules that says you cannot captain the side twice, but there is a strong feeling among the players themselves that there are too many strong candidates to make that necessary. Lyle would dearly love to state his case, but there is the sense that once again he is being kept at arm's length. And he deserves better than that.

***

Colin Montgomerie was in splendid form at the opening of the Montgomerie Course at Riffa Views, in Bahrain, last week. With a pro-am, a skins game against Camilo Villegas, Retief Goosen and Michael Campbell, teaching clinics and such like, he seemed to be on a one-man charm offensive.

It is instructive to witness Monty in these environments. Many turn up not knowing what to expect but leave with a view of the man far removed from the grumpy image they might have been carrying in their heads. What they would not have expected, perhaps, is the self-mocking tone he has when comparing himself to the likes of Villegas, golf's current pin-up boy.

"We both have the same fitness regime," he told the watching gallery, whose female contingent had eyes for just one of them. And then, after the Colombian had demonstrated his prowess with a driver, Montgomerie complained that his own exhibition had drawn only muted applause in comparison with that reserved for Villegas. "It seems to be happening more and more often these days," he moaned.

For the record, Goosen walked off with the lion's share of the winnings for his chosen charities. He picked up $151,000, while Montgomerie claimed $80,000 for the Elizabeth Montgomerie Centre - his project to help lung cancer sufferers in Scotland. Of the other two, Villegas and Campbell won $17,000 and $4,000 respectively.

***

Only golf could take a magnificent athlete like Boris Becker and make him look ordinary. So it was at Riffa Views, where the former Wimbledon champion joined Sir Steve Redgrave and Kapil Dev last week in helping to promote the opening of Monty's new course. It's mean-minded, I know, but watching a sporting legend reduced to the ranks of mere mortal certainly helps to lift your own spirits. What a wonderful leveller this infuriating game has proved to be.

***

As Annika Sorenstam brings the curtain down on her magnificent career at this week's season-ending ADT Championship in Florida, the first signs that the credit crunch is really beginning to bite in the professional game comes with the announcement that the LPGA Tour in the United States has lost three tournaments next year and has been forced to reduce prize money from $60 million to $55 million.

***

Hero of the week

Andrew Coltart, the former Ryder Cup player from Scotland, for winning back his European Tour card at the final Qualifying School in Spain, having lost it after 16 years on tour in 2007.

***

The week in 60 seconds

From Bahrain, for the Riffa Views Invitational, to Girona, in Spain, for the end of six days of gruelling golf at Q School, then on to the Far East for the 50th Hong Kong Open.