The Scotsman

Missing Denmark key for my fitness, explains Sergio

- By MARVIN COLLINS

Sergio Garcia has insisted he was right to jeopardise his Ryder Cup selection by missing the Made In Denmark tournament.

Captain Thomas Bjorn has named Garcia as one of his four european wild card picks, completing the 12-strong lineup to face America in Paris from 28-30 September.

Revealing his relief at joining Paul Casey, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson as wildcards, Garcia defended his decision to snub a chance for automatic qualificat­ion by sitting out the 30 August to 2 September Denmark event.

The Spaniard believes he will arrive in Paris rested and ready to lock horns with the Americans in a way he would not have been able to had he shouldered more tournament golf in the build-up.

“Unfortunat­ely because of how the year went I had to play five weeks in a row in the summer, eight weeks out of ten – and I’m not 25 any more, I’m 38,” said Garcia. “I knew I was putting my position at risk, but at the same time I told Thomas I want to get to the Ryder Cup at 100 per cent.

“I don’t know how to play a Ryder Cup flat, and if I’m going to play a Ryder Cup flat I’m not going to help the team.

“I need to rest for two weeks then play a little bit before that and get to Paris with the best chance possible. He understood obviously, it didn’t make sense for me to play Denmark.

“Unfortunat­ely things didn’t work out the way I would have loved, I had to make some hard decisions, but we’re here now and able to focus on bringing as much as possible to the team.”

Garcia is the first European to win Ryder Cup selection having missed the cut at all four majors in the season.

But fellow wild card pick Poulter backed Bjorn’s selection, insisting: “If you look at the highlights of what Sergio has brought to the European Ryder Cup team through the years, that’s why he was obviously picked to join the team.

“Incredible amounts of experience, a lot of points, an incredible amount of passion to the team.”

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