Golf

Welshman Bradley Dredge has decided to put his European Tour career before the World Cup later this month.

A clash of dates between the British Masters from September 25 to 28 and the World Cup qualifying event in Poland meant Dredge had to make a choice, and The Belfry event won - even though he won the World Cup with Stephen Dodd in 2005 and has represented Wales in each of the last six years.

Dredge said: "I won't go to Poland and miss The Belfry. It's not a tough one to weigh up for me - I love the event and it is a great golf course, but the Order of Merit and world-ranking points are more important for me."

He added: "Unfortunately that's where my priorities lie. If I was exempt, I would go in a heartbeat, but the qualifier, unless it is in a week when there is no tournament for me... it's a shame."

The 18 exempt nations for November's World Cup are determined off this week's world rankings and the 35-year-old Dredge is 110th. If everyone was to play, Wales would be 23rd.

However, players are given another week to commit to the event and a large number of withdrawals can be expected for a tournament that sadly no longer attracts all the game's biggest names.