Golf: Europe changes Ryder Cup selection format
European Tour has changed its selection criteria for the 2012 Ryder Cup by dropping a wild card pick and altering the general selection procedure.
Jose Maria Olazabal requested a change in the selection procedure after being nominated as the next striker. He asked the officials to reduce the wild card picks by one and change the format for the next ten players.
To his surprise, the European Tour responded in his favour and gave him the permission for the change. According to the new selection criteria, the first five players would be selected based on money rankings. This means the top five
Europeans will automatically make it into the team whereas the other five will be picked considering their world rankings.
The last two players will be wild card picks. This method is a privilege given to the captain to choose whomever he pleases. However, that player has to fall in the top 40 players of the world.
Previously, the selection system was opposite. The top four were the top in the world rankings and the next five were selected through the money-ranking list.
As a result, players like Paul Casey and Justine Rose were left out of the team. Casey was the world number nine and winner of two titles in the United States then.
However, this time, the stress will be on the team formation rather than personal favourites.
Olazabal was pleased with the news. He said, “I am very pleased that the tournament committee has agreed to my request. The only reason that I asked for a change in the criteria is because I believe that it will give me the strongest team possible to defend
the Ryder Cup. I looked over the last few qualification processes, going back to 2004, and was satisfied that my proposal would give me the strongest team on paper.”
The Spaniard wants a strong team to defend the title in 2012 in Medinah, Illinois. The Europeans won the last biannual event by half a point against the Americans who were considered as the under dogs.
The point compilation for the selection will start from the 2011 Omega European Masters and finish with the 2012 Johnnie Walker Championship. However, the dates for the wild card picks have not been announced, which might create confusion
in the last minutes.
However, Olazabal’s belief is based on a strong formation and not the last minute details. He said, “At the end of the day, it is the players who are the stars and it is the players who hit the shots and win the points to win the Ryder Cup.”
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