Re: the ryder cup teams

if it was a straight 12 captains choices mines would be

Harrington
Garcia
Westwood
Stenson
Karlsson
Poulter
Casey
Jimenez
Rose
Fisher
Kaymer
Donald (if fit) Dougherty (if not)

omissions:

MacDowall - i just dont rate the guy, sorry
McGimply - as above
Monty - just isnt playing well enough

D.

Re: the ryder cup teams

In the world points list, I expect the five to be:

Westwood
Harrington
Garcia
Stenson
Poulter

The Europeon five would then be:

Karlsson
Jimenez
Mcdowell

And then 2 of the following

Oliver Wilson
Ross Fisher
Soren Hansen
Martin Kaymer

The wild cards, Faldo will probably go for experience.

Either Paul Casey, Darren Clarke or Monty

It looks a great team !

Re: the ryder cup teams

No Rose? He is 14th World rankings.

Re: the ryder cup teams

After doing well in the US PGA, Rose looks like he's in the team. Also good to note he is playing in the Dutch Open and the Scottish PGA. It looks like he wants to be in the team. Paul Casey however, is staying in USA even though he has virtually no chance of getting in the world points list.

Re: the ryder cup teams

I think Justin Rose is on the verge of playing some good golf on the other hand I would be surprised if Monty received a place now.

Harrington (obviously in form), Garcia, Poulter, Westwood and Karlsson are all hot. It's going to be a interesting Cup.

Tim.

Re: the ryder cup teams

I think Monty will be in the team, for inspiration if nothing else. If he plays he will most certainly raise his game. if the Ryder cup were a Major Monty would have at least three by now.

Re: the ryder cup teams

hi
i think we have such a strong team that Faldo can take the chance of having Monty and maybe picking him to play only 2 or 3 games.
D Clark said he was not playing well enough to be picked and Monty does add that team spirit and is there talisman. Monty need a good display at Gleneagles.
cheers
bill

Re: the ryder cup teams

Looks to me like Darren Clarke is writing his application as we speak. 68-64-66 so far in Holland.

At the moment it looks like These 5 from the World Points list:

Pos Name Points
1 Padraig HARRINGTON 343.03
2 Lee WESTWOOD 266.18
3 Sergio GARCIA 242.46
4 Henrik STENSON 233.13
5 Robert KARLSSON 204.76

Those 5 are definately IN the Ryder Cup now. The guys chasing on the worlds list are Jimenez and Rose.

The top 5 world points players also take up places 1, 2, 3 and 6 on the European Points list, which leaves places 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 to join them in the Ryder Cuo

4 Miguel Angel JIMéNEZ 2,092,170.08
5 Graeme MCDOWELL 1,993,608.21

7 Justin ROSE 1,424,101.35
8 Oliver WILSON 1,366,285.71
9 Søren HANSEN 1,363,245.66


Jimenez can still qualify on the World Points list, beating Robert Karlsson to 5th, but Karlsson would qualify from P3 on the European Points list anyway, and cancel out the hole Jimenez would leave on that list, where he is currently P4.

Both players apparently know this, since none of them are playing this weekend! :-)


Only real battle left is the battle for 8th and 9th spot on the European Points list, where Oliver Wilson and Søren Hansen fight to hold off Martin Kaymer, who is 10th on the list.

10 Martin KAYMER 1,362,973.82

Currently - after 3 days play in Holland - Søren Hansen is in 6th, one shot ahead of Oliver Wilson who is in 12th. Kaymer is 7 shots further back, 8 behind Hansen, 14 behind leader Clarke.

So it's looking increasingly like Wilson and Hansen will make it to the Ryder Cup. (Hansen of course making us danes extremely proud).


Edited to add:
Weak point is most definately experience, and guys like Clarke and Monty could be helpful in that aspect. Both are OUTSTANDING match play golfers, and are often able to rise to the occation. Remember where Clarke came from the last time?

I say Faldo is looking closely at Clarke and quite ready to put him on the team.

The last ticket goes to Monty or Poulter I think.

Re: the ryder cup teams

... or Paul Casey.

Re: the ryder cup teams

I would give it to Poulter, he has some real potential.

Re: the ryder cup teams

Not sure Brian, Poults might be one of those who never quite fulfils his potential; he talks the talk but does he walk the walk?

Re: the ryder cup teams

Walked the walk in the open and IMO has a lot of walk left in him. I have had it with Monty and his inflated ego and as much as I would like Casey to come through I feel he does not have the staying power for it.

Re: the ryder cup teams

However, Monty's matchplay Ryder Cup stats are completely unrivaled if I recall correctly. He might well be the best match play golfer by far. 23.5 points for 36 matches and never lost in 8 singles matches.

I wouldn't wonder for a second if Faldo picked him.


In other news: Sergio chokes on another playoff :-( He does, however, act completely as a gentleman about it, showing massive respect for Vijay as the Fijian nailed a long birdieputt on the 1st replay hole to keep the match alive.

I still like the kid. But he needs to win a big one soon.

Re: the ryder cup teams

Clark is playing superb golf and is chatting away with everyone like he's having fun whilst Monty looks like he wants to be doing something else. His putting has gone into hibernation and unless something amazing happens in the next three days at Gleaneagles I wouldn't even dream of picking him.


Tim.