Darren Clarke has announced Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Thomas Pieters as his three wildcard picks for next month’s Ryder Cup.
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When it comes to current form, Scotland’s Russell Knox and Belgium’s Thomas Pieters have the best claims to selection, world number 20 Knox finishing 10th in the world points list, just 0.04 points ahead of Pieters.
“Let’s make no bones about it, I think it will be tough”, admitted Westwood, who will make his 10th consecutive appearance in the biennial event after being selected along with fellow former world number one Martin Kaymer. He also finished third in Thailand and second in Abu Dhabi earlier this year. His win at a WGC event in Shanghai previous year didn’t count toward Ryder Cup qualification because he wasn’t a member of the European Tour at that stage.
The Belgian won the Made in Denmark title at the weekend, after a fourth-place finish at the Rio Olympics and a runner-up spot at the Czech Masters. Describing that as one of the most impressive rounds he’d ever seen, Clarke’s final decision was clearly influenced by Pieters’ audition of sorts in Denmark. The captain hinted that Knox’s failure to play at the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina, from which he could have gained automatic entry into the team, was significant.
“He’s a man I have a huge amount of trust and belief in”.
Darren Clarke believes Thomas Pieters is a future world No1 with a talent comparable to Tiger Woods after confirming the Belgian will make his Ryder Cup debut for Europe at Hazeltine next month.
Clarke said Luke Donald – another former No. 1 and a four-time Ryder Cup victor – and Graeme McDowell would also have been in contention to join Westwood and Kaymer, if their form was better. Had a celebrated amateur college career in America, where he overcame Major victor Jordan Spieth and former world amateur number one Patrick Cantlay to win the NCAA Division I Golf Championship in his sophomore year at the University of IL.
Clarke’s first two selections did not come to anyone’s surprise as he called up veterans Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer.
“I really needed a good finish”, said Pieters.
“I got the phone call and I was just over the moon”, Pieters said, who has had making the Ryder Cup on his “bucket list” since he was a freshman at the University of IL.
“So then it came down to the choice between Russell Knox and Thomas Pieters and it was an incredibly hard decision”.
“Last week I played with him, as I’ve done many times over the qualification period. But the way Thomas has played golf over the last four weeks has impressed me so much I found it impossible to leave him out”.
Clarke is happy with his final line-up as Europe plot a third straight defence of the cup.
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“Kaymer brings experience, a two time major champion, and a player I admire and respect hugely. Some people will say he deserves this position on the team”.
