Derek Lawrenson on Monty telling Europe's leading players that if they skip final qualifying spot at Gleneagles in August--which conflicts with the first FedEx Cup playoff event--they risk missing out on the Ryder Cup should they not make the team on points.
‘I’ll be very surprised if I pick any player on the border of the team whom I ask to play at Gleneagles and they don’t show up,’ he said. ‘I expect there will be about eight
candidates for my three wild cards and it should be a given that they turn up at the final event.’
A fascinating battle of wills, therefore, between the captain and some of those who have served Europe so well at past Ryder Cups. It will be interesting to see who blinks first.
Garcia, for example, was shocked when he learned of the clash between the FedEx Cup and the last qualifying event, the Johnnie Walker Championship.
‘Why have they done that?’ asked the Spaniard, who didn’t even turn up at the European Tour’s flagship event at Wentworth last month. ‘The Ryder Cup is very important but you can’t change your whole schedule for it.’
There's just one glaring conflict of interest issue here and I know you'll be shocked....shocked, to learn that it involves Captain Monty!
Monty, who also happens to be tournament host at that event at Gleneagles, was furious when Nick Faldo, captain last time, picked two wild cards who took up the FedEx Cup option: Casey and Ian Poulter.
And the reactions? Alistair Tait in Golfweek:
The man gives the impression that he is in complete control. Yet underneath, it’s hard not to leave one of his news conferences with the impression he’s making things up as he goes along.
Peter Dixon says Monty tried to backtrack, but not really.
When pushed, however, Montgomerie was forced to backtrack. “OK, no, it’s not cast in stone. I cannot tell people to be playing in particular tournaments,” he said. “I can only ask. But I would be very surprised if I ask those particular players that are on the border [and] they are not there.”
And it seems that this will be the case, at least for Sergio. Mark Reason writes:
“I, you, the audience can’t envisage a Ryder Cup without Sergio. He’s a different case. I will be asking him to participate at Gleneagles to make the effort that’s required to be on the team.
“He’s the one guy that’s brought passion to the Ryder Cup after Seve. Seve’s the most passionate player I’ve seen play golf. Sergio is of that ilk. He’s been a great asset to any team I’ve been on with him.”
To call Garcia a different case is asking for trouble. Monty might think in private that Garcia is a different case and there are many who would agree with Europe’s Ryder Cup captain. But it is ill-advised to say so in public.
