THERE will be Welsh involvement in the 2010 Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor, with Newport’s Phillip Price in line to be involved, according to skipper Colin Montgomerie.

Price, the 2002 Ryder Cup hero, who beat Phil Mickelson in a thrilling singles battle to help Europe win the coveted trophy, would be an ideal candidate to be an assistant according to captain Monty, a role the Argus can exclusively reveal the Newport-man is keen on.

Montgomerie revealed his determination to have Welsh involvement at the marquee sporting event - the third most watched on the planet, with over half a billion television viewers - at a head-to-head press conference with US skipper Corey Pavin at the Celtic Manor yesterday.

Montgomerie explained: “I think Ian Woosnam got it quite right in Ireland, pre-empting the Irish connection by having Des Smyth as an assistant captain, but he was also fortunate to have three Irish players on the team (Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and Ulsterman Darren Clarke) but I might not have that.

“If I don’t have a Welsh representative on the course playing, I would like to have some Welsh help, it’s good for everybody. It’s only right to have a Welshman, 65 or 70% of the crowd will be Welsh and I would encourage having a Welshman in my backroom staff.

“Phillip Price is a past Ryder Cup player and we all know how well he did, he would be a potential candidate if he doesn’t perform well enough to make the team on his own merit.”

And Price, in response to Montgomerie’s kind words, admitted he would love to be involved in the 2010 Ryder Cup, the Argus understanding that 2006 skipper Ian Woosnam is not keen on an assistant role.

Not only is Price a former Ryder Cup player, he is also a member at the Celtic Manor, so has more than a bit of what golfers like to call ‘local knowledge.’ “I have thought about it, about being involved in the Ryder Cup, I have considered it,” Price told the Argus.

“I don’t want to say too much as I haven’t spoken with Colin, but if it is the case that he’d like me to be involved, I would be absolutely delighted and honoured.

“The ideal of course would be to make the team as a player, that’s the dream, but if Colin thinks I could be a help as an assistant then I would love to be there.

“I have experienced the Ryder Cup, the pressure and everything else, and I know the Twenty Ten course very well indeed.”

Montgomerie will also be calling on his star men to be at next June’s Wales Open, insisting a good performance in that event would go a long way to securing a slot in his side, Monty having three wildcard picks at his disposal this time around.

“I haven’t made it that clear yet, but I will be e-mailing every player to make sure they play at Wentworth in the flagship event of the European Tour (the BMW PGA Championship), as well as this one (the Wales Open).

“It goes without saying that at the Wales Open, if I have some of my possible or probable players and they win by a few shots, that will do them no harm at all.

“I will be encouraging every player who is eligible to play, to do so. The Wales Open is a great event and the players should be keen with their Ryder Cup status’ in mind.”

l RYDER Cup captains Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin were at the Celtic Manor yesterday to celebrate the countdown to the huge sporting event with an exhibition game.

European skipper Montgom-erie was partnered by the new Radio Two breakfast host Chris Evans, a 15-handicapper while Pavin was paired with Welsh opera singer Bryn Terfel, who plays off 12.

The foursome played nine of the holes that will be used for the 2010 Ryder Cup.

They also interacted with an invited crowd of spectators who mingled on the fairways with the players.

The game itself was an up and down one, ending up all square after Montgomerie missed a putt on the 17th.

Both Evans and Terfel played exceptionally well, former TV star Evans out driving the professionals on the 16th.