Pavin wants players at Celtic Manor before Cup

NEWPORT, Wales (AP) -- U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin wants his players to find time to play Celtic Manor before they arrive to defend the trophy in October 2010.

In a joint press conference with his European counterpart Colin Montgomerie, Pavin said he would be asking potential team players either to take part in next year's Wales Open on the 2010 Course that will be used for the Ryder Cup or find time around the playing of the British Open.

Pavin, on his first trip to Celtic Manor, is playing the Wales Open this week, but next year it could be a problem because it falls two weeks before the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.

"It is obviously a little different for us, but what I'm going to do is ask my players who come over for The Open Championship, either before or after, to try to get a couple practice rounds here," Pavin said. "I certainly would like my potential players to see the course once or twice before Ryder Cup week."

Montgomerie has the same intention, but has just one player from last year's losing team, Miguel Angel Jimenez, playing this week. Robert Karlsson, Soren Hanson and Oliver Wilson have all been forced to drop out with injuries.

"Those potential Ryder Cup players not playing this week, I will be asking them to participate next year," Montgomerie said.

Pavin said he has given no thought to resurrecting the partnership of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. The 2004 captain at Oakland Hills, Hal Sutton, paired them twice on opening day and they lost both matches.

"We'll have to wait and see on that one. I don't know," Pavin said.

Europe has not been beaten at home since 1993 and the three courses that have staged matches since then - Valderrama, The Belfry and The K Club - had all staged a number of European Tour events beforehand.

This is the 10th Wales Open at Celtic Manor but only the second on the new 2010 Course, where the Americans will defend next year.