Most debated was the final pick, which went to Pieters.
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On Sunday, Pieters closed with 65, including three birdies in a row to finish, to win his third European Tour event in the past 12 months.
Adding Donald to the 12-man roster would be a stunning decision for Clarke, even though the European skipper has repeatedly expressed a preference for experience.
But the 48-year-old insisted Westwood had not been selected because of the pair’s longstanding friendship, adding: ” I selected him because he brings something that no one else can bring to the Ryder Cup.
“Because all our rookies are playing frequently in America now, it’s not quite what it used to be”, Clarke said. “He will be a star”.
Clarke’s captain’s picks are Lee Westwood, Thomas Pieters, and Martin Kaymer.
He had sleepless nights over his final selection. Pieters, however, likely cemented his place on the team on Thursday in Denmark when, playing alongside Clarke, he shot an opening 9-under 62 at Himmerland Golf & Spa Resort.
“That call to Russell was as hard a phone call as I’ve ever had to make in golfing terms”, Clarke told ESPN. The automatic qualifiers for the European team are: Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, Andy Sullivan, Danny Willett, and Chris Wood.
” He’s sweating it out and the pressure is on him to make the picks”. This comes only two days after the first eight players already secured their spot on the team automatically.
The Europeans may be young and may look like underdogs going into this year’s Ryder Cup, but that’s happened to them before and they continue to dominate this event. Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell with their experience.
In the end, it was a straight shootout between Knox and Pieters.
MARTIN KAYMER (Germany): Age 31; Caps 3 (2010, 2012, 2014): Record W4 L3 H3; Majors 2 (2010 US PGA, 2014 US Open).
As the sixth-highest placed European in the world rankings with two PGA Tour wins – including a massive WGC Champions event in China that earned him no qualifying points as he wasn’t a European Tour member yet in November – he had good reason to feel confident. I was very disappointed not to have gotten the nod. “It’s a story right now, but in a couple of weeks time when it all starts, I’m sure it’ll be forgotten that I’m not in the team”.
“If he could play for us I would pick him, certainly”, Love said. He’s played most of his season on the PGA Tour where Pieters has played nearly all season on the European Tour. “I’ll be very proud to take them”.
It was Pieters who was a bit of a wild card.
Appearing via video link, Pieters said: “It’s a little bit insane, especially closing out the tournament like I did on Sunday”.
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Victor of the Made in Denmark tournament on Sunday, he added: “I can’t wait to get on that plane and be with the team”.
