Europe taps Ryder Cup vets

One day after U.S. Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk announced three of his four captain’s picks — all of whom were chalk selections that surprised no one — Euro- pean captain Thomas Bjorn was faced with much more complicated decisions.

Bjorn on Wednesday announced Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson as his four atlarge picks, but there were a number of ways he could have gone, and he left himself very open for criticism.

If Europe fails to win on home soil for the first time in 25 years when the two sides compete for the cherished cup Sept. 28-30 at Le Golf National outside of Paris, Bjorn surely will be subject to secondguessing for his captain’s picks.

In Garcia, Poulter and Stenson, Bjorn clearly went with experience over current form. Five of his eight players who automatically qualified for the team are Ryder Cup rookies.

“All four bring loads of experience and loads of points won and are great for the team room,” Bjorn said.

Bjorn’s four picks have played in a combined 20 Ryder Cups and delivered a combined 48½ Ryder Cup points among them in their respective careers.

Bjorn’s final picks join the eight who qualified on points — reigning British Open champion Francesco Molinari, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Alex Noren and Thorbjorn Olesen.