With the first practice rounds for this year’s Ryder Cup getting under way in just 3 weeks, there is a lot of excitement and expectation surrounding Paul McGinley’s announcement of his wild card picks later today. With nine players already confirmed (Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose, Martin Kaymer, Thomas Bjorn, Victor Dubuisson, Jamie Donaldson and Greame McDowell), there are just three coveted spaces on the team who will go to Gleneagles with the aim of winning again for the sixth time since 2000. Here is my guide to the candidates.
Europe’s Ryder Cup Wild Card Options
1) Ian Poulter
Despite strong competition for places, Ian Poulter is the closest thing to a guaranteed pick for the team this year. He is Europe’s Ryder Cup Talisman, with a fantastic record at the tournament which seems to bring the best out of him, and everyone else as a result. From justifying his highly controversial wild card selection in 2008 to putting up five birdies on the back nine to rally the team in Madinah, he fully deserves his ‘postman’ moniker. The biggest concern is his lack of form, with no top 5 finished in 2014 and three missed cuts in his last five tournaments. But when a player is as good at match play as Poulter is, it doesn’t matter.
2) Stephen Gallacher
Last weekend was a very frustrating one for Stephen Gallacher, missing out on automatic qualification by two shots. But the 3rd place finish at the Italian Open highlights the biggest argument for picking Gallaher- his form this year. With five top 5 finishes, two of which have come in his last six tournaments, he is clearly playing well enough to justify a selection. He also has a history of success at Gleneagles, with 14 appearances at the Johnnie Walker championship and seven top 10s. Although he has no Ryder Cup experience, and (more worryingly) and lack of match play pedigree, the Scott deserves to be selected for the European team.
3) Lee Westwood
This is where the choice gets a lot tougher. There are at least three players who can make a very strong case for the final wild card place, but my choice is Westwood (although there isn’t much in it). The biggest concern with Westwood is his clutch putting- he ranks 181st on the PGA tour for putt % from 3FT-5FT, which is frankly atrocious. His form this year has also been questionable, although two top twenty finishes in the past three tournaments is promising.
But Westwood’s combination of experience and quality means I would pick him for the team. He has a great history at the Ryder Cup, having taken part in 8 matches and won 20.5 points. He also has a long history of success teaming up with Sergio Garcia, who has already qualified for the team, and finished in the top 10 both times he has played at Gleneagles. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if he is left out, I think Westwood fits right into the team for this year’s Ryder Cup.
4) Luke Donald
Another player with a long history at the Ryder Cup, it is very hard to overlook Luke Donald. His .700 win percentage is excellent, and his fantastic short game means he always has a chance in match play (8th for GIR on shots under 100 yards, 3rd putt % inside 5FT on the PGA tour). The problem for Donald is his form (or lack of). He has not finished in the top 40 in his last six events, or any of the majors this year (something every player above Donald on this list has done). And unlike Westwood, he has no previous success at Gleneagles, and has taken part in half as many Ryder Cups. It is very tough to leave out Luke Donald, but on this occasion, he will be pipped to the post in my opinion.
5) Miguel Angel Jimenez
Despite being talked about very little, Jimenez can make a strong case for inclusion in this year’s European team. He has had a strong, if unspectacular year, with five top 10 finishes including coming 4th at the Masters. But none of these have come since the US Open, and he has only one top 40 finish since the start of August. Although his charm and charisma means he is a popular Ryder Cup player, he has only won about 30% of his matches, including only one singles match in three attempts. Although his selection would be popular with fans, I expect Jimenez to be left out the team this time for other players with slightly better credential.
6) Colin Montgomerie
You read the name correctly. He may be a very surprising choice, but it would not be beyond the realm of possibility to see Colin Montgomerie play at Gleneagles this year. He has a great Ryder Cup history, having earned over 23 points in his 8 appearances in the competition. This match play success isn’t exclusive to the Ryder Cup, having reached the quarter finals in all but one tour match play event. He is also player some of his best golf in years, with three top two finishes since the start of August, including a dominant 10-shot win at the recent Travis Perkins Masters at Woburn Golf Club and two Senior Major victories.
The problem is that this success has come exclusively on the Senior Tour, where the level of competition is much lower. His biggest issue is his lack of distance as a result of his age. It would be very tough for Monty to compete with other golfers winning on the main tours (something he hasn’t done since 2007) who can drive in 60+ yards further than him unless he is playing his very best on every hole. Although I still don’t expect to hear his name called, I would not be stunned to see Montgomerie playing for Europe one more time at Gleneagles this year.
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