Dechambeau stakes claim for Ryder Cup wild card
Bryson Dechambeau lodged a compelling case for a Ryder Cup wild card by coasting to a four-stroke win at the Northern Trust in New Jersey last night.
Dechambeau just missed out on an automatic Ryder Cup place in Jim Furyk’s United States team when the top eight secured spots after the US PGA Championship two weeks ago.
The 24-year-old was ninth in the standings then, but his third PGA Tour victory must surely convince Furyk to choose him as one of his four wild-card picks – three of which he names on Tuesday.
Dechambeau began with a fourstroke lead at Ridgewood, but with memories of his final-day collapse at the European Open last month still fresh. However, a two-underpar 69, including four birdies and two bogeys, saw him close out the first of the four post-regular season events and take him to the top of the Fedex Cup standings.
“I said I was a man on a mission,” Dechambeau said on Sky Sports. “Hopefully he [Furyk] can see I’ve got some grit and grind, and even when I don’t execute certain shots I can get it done.”
Tony Finau also boosted his Ryder Cup wild-card hopes with a closing 68 for second place.
Brooks Koepka’s bid to dislodge Dustin Johnson as world No1 faltered in the closing stages. The three-time major winner dropped shots at 11 and 14, carding a 69 to finish tied for eighth. Tiger Woods, another probable wild-card pick for the US, ended in a tie for 40th after a final-round 70.
Italy’s Andrea Pavan celebrated the imminent arrival of his second child by claiming his first European Tour title after coming out on top in a final-round duel with three-time major winner Padraig Harrington.
Pavan carded a closing 67 in the D+D Real Czech Masters to finish two shots ahead of playing partner Harrington on 22 under par, with Malaysia’s Gavin Green three strokes further back in third.
Harrington looked on course for a 16th European Tour win when he led by three shots at the turn, and was still two clear with five to play, but the 46-year-old bogeyed the 15th while Pavane reeled off three birdies in four holes in a brilliant back nine of 31 in Prague.
“I can’t believe it,” Pavane, 29, told Sky Sports. “Coming down the back nine trailing Padraig since the beginning, he was not making any mistakes and I just knew I needed to stay aggressive and it was amazing to finish this way.
“I’m going back home tomorrow and we’re having a second baby, a little girl is coming on Wednesday. We’re really excited about that and I can’t wait to celebrate with my family.”
Ryder Cup hopefuls Thomas Pieters and Eddie Pepperell finished in a tie for ninth on 12 under par. The final qualifying event takes place at the home course of European captain Thomas Bjorn in Denmark and gets under way on Thursday.