Padraig will need to pick perfectly
THERE is just over three weeks to go until the Ryder Cup and as a captain, you need to have 12 gladiators at your disposal when you prepare to joust with your rival skipper in such combat. It is vitally important he has the 12 strongest players he can possibly have because he’s going into the lion’s den. For my first Ryder Cup as captain in 1983, I was appointed quite late in the day and never had any wild-card picks. As I explain in my new book, ‘Tony Jacklin: My Ryder Cup Journey,’ I had to hide players when we took on Jack Nicklaus’ side at Palm Beach Gardens in Florida because there were guys in that team who were simply much better than some of the others.
Padraig Harrington has three European picks this year and I’m sure two of his choices will be Ian Poulter and Sergio Garcia.
They’ve got great Ryder Cup records, they’re in good form and both are as close to being shoo-ins as you can get.
As far as the other pick is concerned, you might just as well throw all the names into a hat and dip your hand in.
Sweden’s Alex Noren performed well at the BMW Championship on Sunday and will be in the captain’s thoughts.
On the same day, Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger was unlucky to miss out on the European Masters title.
Henrik Stenson is a tried-and-trusted campaigner and might rise to the occasion again. The Swede has formed a strong partnership with Justin Rose in previous Ryder Cups but unless the Englishman finds some form from nowhere at the last counting event at Wentworth next week, I’m afraid he will miss out.
Matt Wallace and Robert Macintyre will be keeping fingers crossed they can land a captain’s pick. Wallace has a fiery temperament and, unlike Jon Rahm, he hasn’t yet found a way to keep a lid on it.
Macintyre has proved he’s a winner but I think the water might be a bit deep for him right now. Europe will miss
Francesco Molinari. His ‘Moliwood’ pairing with Tommy Fleetwood was so crucial three years ago and it stirred memories of my great Spanish linchpins from the 80s – Seve Ballesteros and Jose Maria Olazabal.
All in all, though, I have every faith in Padraig.