SERGIO GARCIA, IAN Poulter, Paul Casey and Henrik Stenson were handed the four wildcard picks to make the European Ryder Cup team, as captain Thomas Bjorn put his faith in experience.
All four players have been part of multiple winning sides, although Spaniard Garcia has struggled this year, missing the cut at each of the last five major tournaments.
England’s Poulter, a talisman for Europe in past Ryder Cups, has returned to form this year after missing the 2016 defeat by the United States at Hazeltine.
“All four bring loads of experience, points and know how to win and lose and they will bring plenty of heart,” said Bjorn.
Open champion Francesco Molinari, four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, English trio Justin Rose, Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton, Jon Rahm, Alex Noren and Thorbjorn Olesen had already qualified automatically for the event to be held just outside Paris from 28-30 September.
Bjorn opted for 2017 Masters champion Garcia ahead of Belgian Thomas Pieters, who won four points two years ago as a rookie, Rafa Cabrera Bello and the in-form Matt Wallace, having already seen five rookies make the side.
“The one thing about Sergio is that he’s the heartbeat of the team. It’s like a football team going without their captain, that’s what it’s like for us,” said the Dane.
It will be the 38-year-old Garcia’s ninth Ryder Cup appearance, having been the youngest man to play in the event’s history as a 19-year-old in 1999.
“It probably wasn’t an easy decision for Thomas Bjorn,” admitted Garcia.
“He knows what I bring to the team, game-wise and in the team room. It’s been a tough year, but I’ve been working hard and I feel like my game is coming along. I’m now ready to try and help the team win the Ryder Cup back.”
American captain Jim Furyk also called on experience when he added Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson to his team on Tuesday, but both have failed to regularly produce their best in Ryder Cups, unlike Garcia and especially Poulter.
The Englishman inspired the greatest comeback in the tournament’s history at Medinah in 2012, when he dragged Europe back to a 10-6 deficit heading into the singles with an astonishing run of birdies playing alongside Rory McIlroy.
“This feels extra special to be part of and for Thomas to give me the call yesterday means absolutely everything,” said Poulter. “It will be an incredible spectacle, it’s an extremely strong US team but I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it.”
Poulter had slipped outside the top 200 in the world rankings at the start of 2017, but signalled a return to form with victory at the Houston Open in April.
“When he gets confident, he hits that European badge hard,” said Bjorn. “He is a man for the occasion and he is a special person.
“Sometimes you think him and Sergio should have been footballers, because they like the team aspect so much.”
Bjorn persuaded Casey to become a member of the European Tour in order to be able to qualify for the team, and has drafted in the 41-year-old for his first Ryder Cup since 2008.
He held off a charging Woods to end a nine-year wait for a PGA Tour title at the Valspar Championship in March, and has an excellent matchplay record, making a famous hole-in-one in Europe’s crushing 18.5-9.5 triumph in 2006.
“I rejoined the European Tour and I’m playing some of the best golf I’ve ever played,” he said. “I only wanted to be a part of the team if I could do that.”
Former Open champion Stenson has been hampered by an elbow injury this season, but was always likely to get a pick if fit after striking up a successful partnership with Rose in recent Ryder Cups.
“Stenson and Justin Rose love each other and you have to look at how other players react to the players coming in,” said Bjorn.
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Garcia is a big risk. Should have picked him as a vice captain and picked Pieters, or Cabrera-bello for the team.
@Ardmore02: Wallace wins three tournaments this year. Latest one this last weekend. Birdie Birdie in play off. That’s form. He has a right to feel snubbed and it’s a big error.
@Mick Barnier: if Wallace won three times why didn’t he qualify automatically? But yes I’d have him in there ahead of Garcia.
@Ardmore02: Four has beans,Europe in for a monumental hammering.
@Ardmore02: because his wins were in Europe and in run of the mill tournaments that the stars won’t turn up for so his prize money wasn’t big enough but 3 wins on any tour is special and the message it sends to the lower orders is stark, forget about Ryder Cup unless you can play in the US.
@Mick Barnier: dont be ridiculous
Garcia couldn’t make the top 125 in the pga tour, but gets a pick? Cabrero bello and pieters should have been ahead of him. Wallace had a great year, but the smaller European tour evets pay a pittance. Eddie pepperell made a million in a week getting good finishes in Scotland and the open championship. You could win four times on the European tour and not win that
@Sean Lawlor: thats because its the championship compared to the PGA tours premier league. Saying someone won 3 times is like saying some lad who scored 25 times for Ipswich should be in the England squad
Matt Wallace won 3 times this but still didn’t gain enough ryder cup points tells you the standard of tournaments he won he also has never made the cut in a major. Rafa has been as inconsistent as Stenson and Casey this yr the latter both having far more ryder cup experience. What else could Bjorn do with 5 rookies already qualified
@James O Lone: Garcia has missed the last 5 cuts in a row . It’s a really silly pick , experience is important but it can only get you so far and the way Sergio is playing it’s going to come back and bite Bjorn in the arse .
@James O Lone: he’s made the cut at the PGA championship this year
@James O Lone: Garcia has all the symptoms of Westwood at last Ryder cup just hope I’m wrong.
2 in a row for the yanks i think , look much stronger
Langer would have been better!
Garcia could be an inspired pick.
This is a team game and he might just be great for team spirit and morale plus it could turn around his form. Experience is needed and I know he is not in form but let’s wait and see
Cabrera bello and Wallace should have been on the team
@Conor: and you leave out?
@Conor: why
@Conor: Leave out Garcia and take your pick of either Cabrera Bello or Wallace. Players in form should have been his preference rather than big a name choice. Either way I don’t think it’ll make much of a difference. The US team appear to be on fire at the moment.
@Conor: Wallace should not be there but carbrero bello 100% should be . Sergio and awful choice .
@James O Lone: Because Garcia is low on confidence now and laying poor. Cabrera-Bello and Wallace are IN form. It should have been a no brainer.
@Ronan Connolly: Garcia and Casey Garcia has been appalling all year and Casey hasn’t been in good form lately
Garcia has no right to be on the european team..2 in a row for the americans
American team was picked on form. The 3 lads picked were 10, 11 and 12 in the standings.
@Cillian Mac Gearailt: as if they wouldnt have picked tiger and phil if they were ranked 50th and 51 behave
I think Garcia was a poor pick and also feel that their are players in better form than Casey, particularily Cabrera Bello. With Stenson carrying an injury, Europe can’t afford to have too many passangers, hopefully Bjorn’s favouring of experience over form will prove justifyed when all is said and done, but I have my doubts.
Gutted, padraig Harington should have been picked.
I read elsewhere that Lowry and Dunne were unlucky…. Jays…… us.
This could be over before Sunday singles, fortunately USA have also picked on record not form
@Dave keeley: They picked on form. 10th 11th 12th in the Ryder Cup standings
Garcia is an emotional choice, terrible since winning the Masters, and played pretty poorly in the last few Ryder cups too and was carried for his points wins. He is viewed as a talisman, but that’s why Poulter is there, plus Poulter has played decent enough recently.
I’d have preferred to see Rafa picked.
Still it’s great tournament and I’m looking forward to it. It’s always more entertaining when Europe are underdogs!
Pieters or cabalero should have been picked Garcia not having a good season ,, as someone said vice captain
can’t understand Garcia n Casey getting picked .Garcia playing crap no form and Casey though maybe a good player comes across as very aloof.Thomas peters and wear a cab bello can consider themselves very unfortunate.The rest pick themselves imo
History has proved that experience and heart can win a Ryder cup. I’d want Garcia on my team.
@Paul: Poulter didn’t have a great 2014 and Westwood definitely did t have a good 2016.