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.
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
Never mind Monday morning how do you stay awake during the game ?
Is it only on Sky?
Why thumbs down??? Just wondering if BBC or C4 etc are carrying the game?
It’s on BBC2 from 11pm
Thanks Catriona.
Don’t mind them. I only found out 2 years ago it was on bbc. Always assumed that it was only on Sky. A fair assumption too I think :-)
Or you could take Monday off!
How am I suppose to do mocks next week with 6nations and the super bowl on.????????
If your in Limerick Showtime Cinema is showing it for 15e and I think you get a beer, hotdog and popcorn for that and can bring your own beer too :)
Get a pair of Homer Simpson jury duty glasses for work. Can have a lovely nap then
Haha!!
I’m San Francisco-born, and don’t give a rat’s hiney about the business of American football. It’s a business. The teams and players care not one heartbeat about the fans, except as sources of revenue.
It was such a joy to attend the Munster hurling finals and watch a real sport being played by real sportsmen and to see real fans instead of drunken lunatics assaulting each other while watching steroid-crazed egomaniacs. A sporting epiphany it was.
What sport isn’t there to make money?
It’s ok not to like something, you don’t have to watch it. At the same time, keep your stupid opinions to yourself. That way you can hide your idiocy.
Gaelic Football & Hurling Billie. Playing for the pride of your home county ( with rare exceptions) & in most cases taking financial loss for the honour of doing it. I love professional sports especially rugby & AFL but there is something really special about Gaelic Games.
Thanks for the strategy tips, Billie. Don’t know what I did without you all my life.
Think you’ve gotten it all wrong, the whole purpose of the comments section here is for ppl to voice their opinions. Keep your “keep your stupid opinions to yourself” to yourself @BillieHetfield.
If you limit yourself to add breaks for social media thats about 90% of the game :-)
and the Americans say soccer is boring…
It’s not boring, your brain is just too small to understand what’s going on.
I won’t force you to watch, I promise.
I understand what is going on and it is very very boring. Enjoy staying up all night to watch that tripe. Worst sport ever invented in my opinion.
I swapped work on Monday for next saturday so I have a nice lie in and I just can not wait any longer bring on the Super Bowl !!!!
Just record it on sky plus keep clear of result and watch after work job done. Lets be fair not many people are gonna be running around work roaring and shouting bout the game so chances are great you’ll miss result.
never works!
Can’t wait.
I bet 49ers for the Super Bowl in October.
LOL!
- Bags under the eyes: check!
- The caffeine overdose: check!
- Wearing odd shoes: … … check :(
Sleep in the afternoon is what has gotten me through the playoffs to watch the Saturday games live. Set the alarm for before the game. Wake up, and OD on coffee until the shakes set in and you can feel your heart squelching on every beat.
Or…you could tape it and watch it the next day at a reasonable hour
Risky strategy. Twitter can be a bollocks for this.
Next day off work is the best plan I think.
true but unless its on during the day its rather pointless. After 2am just go to bed you make bad decisions after 2am :D
@john have you been watching how I met your mother
Yes yes I have it what happens when you only got basic UPC
You record it on the UPC box and watch it when you get home from work.