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McGinley regrets Rory and Donald no-shows

Paul McGinley hopes to win the Seve Trophy as captain © Getty Images

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Great Britain & Ireland captain Paul McGinley has admitted he is disappointed not to have Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy at his disposal for this week's Seve Trophy.

McGinley has a strong side for the team contest against Continental Europe at Golf de Saint-Nom-la-Bretèche - with Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter among his line-up - but he admits he would like to have the world No. 1 and No. 3 in the ten-man team to improve his chances of victory.

"I'm disappointed not to have Luke and Rory because I'm competitive - I want to win. I wanted my best team available," McGinley said. "But I understand the top players in the world are playing a different schedule in which ranking points are very important to them. Everyone makes decisions on what is best for their career.

"I certainly wouldn't criticise them. I'd love them to be playing but that's not the case. That is why it is so important Lee, Darren and Ian opted to play."

The GB & I team have won five of the last six matches, asserting their dominance over their opponents since losing the inaugural contest in 2000. Nevertheless, McGinley believes his men are the underdogs in France this week.

"There is no doubt Continental Europe are favourites," he said. "They are a stronger team on paper.

"They have a French captain and that's going to mean a vociferous crowd. We're under no illusions we're the underdogs, but we have been before - and come out on top."

McGinley's opposite number, Jean van de Velde, disagrees with that assessment, however.

"Looking at the records, we are the underdogs but being underdogs I don't think means much," he said. "All I know is that we are going to do everything we can to try to reverse the trend.

"I have a couple of surprises up my sleeve."

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