One big tournament left in the race to make the two Ryder Cup teams and the contrast between the prospective line-ups could hardly be more stark. While America captain Davis Love III is desperately hoping for a young gun to make an impression at the 98th USPGA Championship, his Europe counterpart Darren Clarke is looking for some reassurance from his trusted old hands.
Too much youth or too much experience? There is not a single rookie occupying the top eight places who will qualify automatically for the US team — leaving Love with the same faces who have lost the last three matches. Contrast that with Europe’s nine occupying the automatic slots. Clarke, who last night named Sam Torrance as his fifth vice-captain, has no fewer than five debutants in his team on current standings.
With double points on offer, much could change for both camps at Baltusrol. It means that someone like Justin Thomas, currently 25th, would vault dramatically into the team with a win.
Love has four picks to make before the match in late September but right now his hands look tied. He surely has to pick Rickie Fowler and Patrick Reed, who are 10th and 11th, and ninth-placed Brooks Koepka, the one rookie to make a good case for inclusion. He was third on the list until damaged ankle ligaments forced him to miss important qualifying events, including the Open. The big-hitting Koepka is back in action this week.
For Europe there is a sizeable points gap between Matt Fitzpatrick occupying the last qualifying berth and 10th-placed Lee Westwood. The veteran Englishman would have to finish in the top three to displace his 21-year-old compatriot, while Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell would have to finish in the top two.
Westwood will definitely get a pick but Clarke will be looking for some form from the other two here, with McDowell vulnerable.
The big plus for Clarke is he has some great-looking partnerships already. For foursomes he has Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia, and Lee Westwood and Danny Willett. For fourballs there is McIlroy and Andy Sullivan, Garcia and Rafa Cabrera-Bello, and perhaps Rose and Fitzpatrick when Stenson needs a rest.
There are more qualifying tournaments left to play before the automatic slots for both teams are finalised on August 28, with the wildcards to follow. But this week could shake things up. – Daily Mail