That partly explains Clarke’s desire for more balance to the team, and therefore his call for Westwood – a longtime friend – and Kaymer.
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Emphasizing the importance of adding veteran experience to a team already packed with rookies, Clarke chose to pick Ryder Cup veterans and former world no.1’s Martin Kaymer and Lee Westwood to add a little bit of know-how to the roster.
“Phoning Russell was one of hardest things I have had to to do”.
But Pieters has never been close to a major – his best position was 30th at the 2016 British Open – and his selection represents a gamble for Clarke, who could have chosen either Luke Donald or Russell Knox, both of whom are more experienced in American conditions.
“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.
He went unbeaten in 2004 and 2006 and tied Arnold Palmer’s record in 2008 after making it 12 matches without defeat at Valhalla.
“He’s got plenty of good players to pick from so if he doesn’t pick me, so be it”, Pieters told reporters. “I have to use this as a springboard to try and win the FedEx Cup”.
That was how we all got our views across to him before we met on Monday – Darren.
“Yeah, it’s going to be a very tough task”.
“He just sent me a message before we went on air, saying: ‘Testing, testing, is your phone off?’ That’s why I was laughing”. The two-time major victor also holed the winning putt in the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah.
The two-time major victor made his debut in the competition in 2010 and is already relishing another opportunity to lead Europe to glory.
The Inverness exile also sits in seventh place on the PGA circuit’s FedEx Cup standings and with three more events to contest in the end of season play-offs, Knox is determined to mount an all assault over the next three weeks and finish the campaign with a flourish in the wake of his Ryder Cup set back.
“And the way Thomas has played golf over the last four weeks has impressed me so much I found it impossible to leave him out”.
“I put all my heart in it – that’s all you can ask for and all I can give”. It was a very short phone call.
“In two years’ time, I hope myself and a couple of other Scottish guys are on the team”. It’s nearly the end of the year but it’s a massive highlight.
Pieters’ recent form proved irresistible after the Belgian finished fourth in the Olympics and second in the defence of his Czech Masters title the following week, before winning in Denmark on Sunday.
With four English newcomers — Danny Willett, Chris Wood, Andy Sullivan and Matthew Fitzpatrick – there is no shortage of potential partners.
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Despite his disappointment at missing out on selection for the biennial clash at Hazeltine, Minnesota, starting on 30 September, Knox was magnanimous in hailing Pieters as a future “superstar” of the game.
