Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
No doubting Thomas has a dilemma
EUROPEAN captain Thomas Bjorn faces a huge headache ahead of naming his Ryder Cup wildcards.
Rory Mcilroy, Jon Rahm, Justin Rose, Francesco Molinaro, Tyrrell Hatton, Alex Noren, Tommy Fleetwood and Thorbjorn Olesen have all sealed automatic qualification.
But who will take the other four slots when Bjorn confirms his selection today?
Last week I predicted Henrik Stenson, Ian Poulter, Paul Casey and Russell Knox, but it’s not as cut and dried as I first thought.
After his win at last week’s Made in Denmark – the last qualifying event prior to Paris – it is almost impossible not to pick Matt Wallace.
The Englishman has won four tournaments in the last 18 months and three in total this year; two in the last couple of months.
His performance in Denmark – including seven birdies in the last eight holes – will have impressed Bjorn and there’s no doubt his rise has been stunning.
As recently as May 2017, he was on the Challenge Tour – now he’s on the cusp of becoming a Ryder Cup rookie.
On form, Wallace merits a pick. I also know Bjorn is proud of the European Tour so instinctively he’ll want to reward performances on that stage.
I’d show faith in him because Matt is a fighter and loves winning. He’d relish the high stakes dynamic of matchplay.
I shared a drink with him on the Friday night during the recent D+D Real Czech Masters and he’s a very impressive individual.
For the record, my drink was stronger than his, but what struck me during our chat is his determination to climb the rankings and prove himself at the top level.
He is driven to get the maximum from his talent and make the most of his opportunities.
He reminds me of a young Ian Poulter. A self-assured, forthright golfer with tunnel vision. Attributes essential to achieve great things in the sport. My only concern for Wallace is the lack of Ryder Cup experience in the European team.
Automatic picks Rahm, Fleetwood, Hatton, Noren and Olesen are all preparing for their first continental showdown. That’s a lot of rookies.
For that reason, Poulter, Stenson and Casey are nailed on as wildcards – but if Thomas errs fully on the side of caution, it may leave the door ajar for Sergio Garcia.
It would be a major surprise given the Spaniard’s form, but stranger things have happened.
Having said that, I’ve known Bjorn a long time and he is bold and aggressive in his decision making, so that suggests he may well give Wallace the nod.
The European tail is a tough one to select and it’ll be fascinating to see how it plays out. Will Bjorn show faith in Wallace and trust his rookies when the chips are down in Paris?
All will be revealed today.