Colin Montgomerie’s Ryder wildcard call goes right to the wire
Europe's Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie has insisted he will continue to consider wildcard places right up until the close of this week's Johnny Walker Championship.
Speaking at a press conference on the eve of this week's European Tour event, the Scot told reporters: "I have not made my mind up yet. It's impossible to do so really, because the scenario might well change [with the next few day's play]."
Montgomerie said he would continue to discuss the matter with his vice captains Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn and Darren Clarke on the matter, though he admitted: "Yes, I have an idea, but that might well change; I have to be flexible and adapt."
The 47-year-old also revealed he would be observing events at the Barclays in New Jersey, where four potential contenders of the highest standard, Paul Casey, Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington and Justin Rose will be playing this weekend - even though the US tournament doesn't carry any official qualification points for the Ryder Cup.
"I can only rely on the first three days [because of the time difference], and I'll look at how they're doing over there in comparison to what the guys are doing here.
"It's the most difficult decision that I think that any captain has had to have. No-one envies me this position of having to leave out world [class] players for the first time in Europe. Now we're leaving out top-20 players which is a shame, really. But that proves the standard of European golf, and how it's improved, and our strength right through the top 12 players.
"I'll make my mind up through the day, and through the early evening on Sunday."
The competition at Gleneagles serves as the final qualifying opportunity for the biennial clash, which takes place at Celtic Manor, Newport this October. Once the tournament concludes on Sunday, Montgomerie will announce the complete line-up.
Thus far, six of Monty's team have been confirmed, with the currently convalescing Lee Westwood heading the table alongside Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher.
Italy's Francesco Molinari, Sweden's Peter Hanson and Spain's Miguel Ángel Jiménez currently hold the remaining automatic positions, but that can change if another Spaniard, Alvaro Quiros or England's Simon Dyson or Ross McGowan can finish well enough at Gleneagles.
But it's the three wildcard places Monty is currently cogitating over that's the real talking point here. While any player who makes it into the qualifying positions has done so on merit, Molinari and Jiménez might strike rather more fear into the heart of the USA team than Hanson, for instance - while the unhappy truth is that Messrs Rose, Harrington, Donald and Casey would all provoke still more consternation.
That quartet has become known as the 'FedEx four,' after each man chose to enter a play-off for the US event this week rather than fight for their place at Gleneagles. The likelihood is that each man feels they have done enough to merit inclusion on the team regardless of the state of the table - but be that as it may, at least one of that four will not be making the trip now, with just three places available.
The plot thickens, however, since there are those who feel that players who have shown loyalty to the European Tour should deserve extra consideration for the remaining three places. Such a sympathetic standpoint may seem pleasingly fair-minded, but if Montgomerie is in earnest about wanting to defeat the USA it's perhaps not the most rational one.
While a selection of three from the FedEx four would seem to be the likeliest outcome, Monty isn't merely being diplomatic in suggesting the wildcards are still to be decided on, though. Some have pointed out that were Jiménez to make it to Celtic Manor, a good partner for the 46-year-old would be his fellow countryman Quiros.
Similarly, with one-half of last year's World Cup winners Francesco Molinari looking a likely addition to the team, mightn't it make sense to include the other half of that partnership, his brother Edoardo?
Certainly, the matter makes US captain Corey Pavin's decision on whether or not to bring Tiger Woods along on a wildcard seem pretty negligible. How Monty would be delighted if that little no-brainer was his only conundrum right now.
Woods wants to be a part of the team. Pavin isn't inundated with quality right now. What's to decide?
Tags: