Golf Comment: Heat is on as Ryder Cup deadline looms
THE RYDER Cup is less than six weeks away and, more importantly for a handful of European players, there are just two more weeks of competition in which to secure guaranteed qualification.
At least two of the nine automatic places, based on European and world points lists, are still up for grabs and there could be a significant shake-up in prospect at this week’s events.
Big points are on offer at The Barclays, the first event of the PGA Tour’s FedEx play-offs, compared with those available at the relatively low-key Czech Masters on the European Tour, meaning those Europeans in action in America could quickly boost their Ryder Cup chances.
Welshman Jamie Donaldson and former US Open champion Graeme McDowell, eighth and ninth in the world points list respectively, are the two men most at risk of being bumped out of the qualifying places, though the Northern Irishman has the big advantage of playing at The Barclays.
Englishmen Luke Donald, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood are bubbling under and will also all be playing in the FedEx Cup play-offs, with Donald and Poulter especially in range of leapfrogging McDowell and Donaldson if they have good weeks.
Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher, who will have been disappointed to miss the cut at the Wyndham Championship in America last week, is in between Donald and Poulter but playing for fewer points at the Czech Masters. He probably needs to win there to have a hope of qualifying automatically for the Ryder Cup.
Donaldson has an alternative route into the top nine, however. He is just outside the four designated qualifiers on the European points list, but could overtake Sergio Garcia, who is playing at The Barclays this week and therefore not earning European points, with a top-seven finish in the Czech Republic. Garcia would then take a world points list spot – the one that belonged to Donaldson or whoever passes him this week.
I haven’t yet spoken to European captain Paul McGinley about who his three discretionary picks will be – it is pointless at this stage because it could all change. We’ll have dinner after next week’s final qualifying tournament in Italy and discuss it more then.
World No1 Rory McIlroy, long assured a Ryder Cup place, is aiming to become the first man since Tiger Woods in 2008 to win four successive tournaments at The Barclays. You certainly wouldn’t bet against the brilliant Northern Irishman.
Marc Warren, another Scot, may be just too far off the top to make the Ryder Cup but will be delighted with his win at the Made in Denmark event on Sunday – his first European Tour title for seven years. Congratulations too to Bernhard Langer for yet another win on the Champions Tour, and it was nice to see Camilo Villegas back on form at the Wyndham – his first PGA Tour win since 2010.
Sam Torrance OBE is a multiple Ryder Cup-winning golfer, a current vice-captain and a media commentator. Follow him on Twitter @torrancesam
QUALIFICATION: HOW IT WORKS
European Points List
1. Rory McIlroy* 5537075.35
2. Henrik Stenson* 2893568.55
3. Victor Dubuisson* 2880182.84
4. Sergio Garcia* 2539593.00
5. Jamie Donaldson 2509687.42
6. Thomas Bjorn 2489768.80
7. Justin Rose 2138323.13
8. Martin Kaymer 2006411.16
World Points List
1. Rory McIlroy 534.26
2. Henrik Stenson 387.12
3. Sergio Garcia 366.80
4. Justin Rose** 284.31
5. Martin Kaymer** 247.27
6. Thomas Bjorn** 206.34
7. Victor Dubuisson 204.79
8. Jamie Donaldson** 170.51
9. Graeme McDowell** 169.34
10. Luke Donald 167.55
11. Stephen Gallacher 156.53
12. Ian Poulter 150.62
Key: * = in line to qualify via European points list; ** = in line to qualify via world points list
Team will feature 12 players, nine of whom qualify automatically via either the European or world points list
Nine automatic places go to the first four on the European points list on 31 August, plus the top five on the world points list who haven’t already secured their place