GLENEAGLES, United Kingdom — Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts could not have asked for a better start in his goal to break into the European Ryder Cup team, scoring an opening round three under par 69 in the final qualifying event. The 29-year-old's score put him in second spot and just one stroke off the lead early on the first day of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Glenagles in Scotland. Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen is the clubhouse leader after shooting a four under par 68 — a new course record after major changes to the PGA National course before the 2014 Ryder Cup. Colsaerts is hoping to stake his claim for selection for this year's edition, taking place from September 25-30 at the Medinah Country Club in Illinois, by finishing first or second to break inside leading 10 qualifiers. If he does that he will be assured of automatic selection but if not, the current 12th placed player on the Ryder Cup points table will have to rely on a Jose Maria Olazabal “wildcard” pick when the Spaniard announces his full side next Monday. “I am very happy as I was in control of my game all day and this is the start that I wanted and something without too much stress,” said Colsaerts. “The only thing I can do this week is to make sure of what I do and not worry about the others. “But then it is difficult not to think about the Ryder Cup and it's getting pretty intense as I've been in this situation now for quite a couple of weeks. “I played well in America and then I came back here and I have the media all over me all the time, so it makes it difficult not to think about the Ryder Cup.” Colsaerts, who sunk an impressive four birdies in five holes, is playing the first two rounds alongside European vice captain and defending Johnnie Walker champion, Thomas Bjorn. Bjorn also staked his claim for a possible “wildcard” pick with a two under par 70 and just a day after revealing his desire to still try to make the team rather than travel to Medinah as one of Olazabal's assistants. McIlroy to defend Shanghai title Organizers have confirmed that top-ranked Rory McIlroy will defend his Shanghai Masters title later this year in China. The $7 million event has been added to this year's European Tour schedule after McIlroy won it last year from a field of 21 players. This year's tournament, the richest in the history of the European Tour, will be held from Oct. 25-28 and again be staged at the Lake Malaren Golf Club in Shanghai. McIlroy said: “I cannot wait to get back to Shanghai. The fact that I can tee up there again as a reigning major winner means a lot to me.” The field of 78 players will be drawn mostly from the top 100 in the world rankings. Four players will receive an invitation from organizers while invitees from the Chinese Golf Association and BMW will fill 14 of the positions. — Agencies
