Ryder Cup stars in Cup final plan

The trio have tickets for the FA Cup final between Liverpool and West Ham on Saturday and hope to book a helicopter to get them to the match in Cardiff.

The third round of the event has been scheduled to finish at 1430 BST so fans can watch the game on a giant screen.

And the players hope the tee-off times will let them get to the game in time.

West Ham fan McGinley said: "We can't make a decision until Friday night when we see who is playing early and who is playing late.

"We have tickets, we're planning on going but we'll just have to see how the week pans out.

"We'd like to go but the major thing is the golf. There's a lot of money at stake and that's the first priority - the match is very much secondary."

Liverpool fan Clarke feels he has more chance of making the Cup final than the others, after what he called a "terrible" round in the pro-am.

"I don't think there's much chance of me making the cut. I'll definitely be at the cup final," he said.

McGinley and Clarke are among nine members of Europe's victorious 2004 Ryder Cup team who will play at this week's Masters.

The European Tour event, the first to be held in Britain this year, also features Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie and David Howell.

European Ryder Cup captain and two-time winner Ian Woosnam will also take part.

World number 12 Henrik Stenson, who currently lies second behind Order of Merit leader Howell, and 2005 winner Bjorn will also be competing.

Howell has not played for a month because of a back problem and says he is still only about 85% fit.

He said: "I hit nothing more than a seven-iron for a month, so I don't expect to compete with the boys who are healthy and have been competing.

"My goal here is to put four scores on the board and come through in better shape. I've no expectations."

The 30-year-old Stenson, who is likely to figure prominently in Woosnam's team at the K Club later this year, has fond memories of the Belfry, the venue of his first European Tour victory in the 2001 Benson & Hedges International.

Bjorn held off the challenge of Howell and Brian Davis in a play-off to win the title 12 months ago.

The Dane will be joined by US Open champion Michael Campbell, who was fourth in last year's event.