Ryder Cup

[Donny B.]

May as well get a thread going...

Poulter says he wants the Ryder Cup spot but skips the final qualifying tournament to go play in the states!

Poulter will skip Ryder decider

Poulter insists he has a 'burning desire' to play for Europe in the Ryder Cup
Ian Poulter will have to rely on a captain's pick to make Europe's Ryder Cup team after pulling out of this week's Johnnie Walker Championship.

It is the final event counting towards selection and Poulter is outside the automatic selection spots.

"I have called (captain) Nick Faldo and told him of my decision and hope that my performance so far will earn one of his two wildcard picks," said Poulter.

He will instead play in America in a bid to reach the final play-off events.

Poulter will head to Boston hoping to finish high enough at the Deutsche Bank Championship to secure entry to the final two FedEx Cup play-off events, the BMW Championship and The Tour Championship. We know that Nick will do the right thing and I will be playing as hard as I can this week

Ryder Cup hopeful Ian Poulter

"It has been an extremely difficult decision to take given my burning desire to represent Europe again in defending the Ryder Cup in the United States," he said.

"But the fact that Boston this week is my only opportunity to qualify for the final two play-off events, as well as being my final opportunity to play my 15 events on the US PGA Tour, conflicts with my ambition to play Gleneagles and earn my spot in the Team.

"The captain's picks are a nightmare, and not a position I would have wanted, where I need one, but we do know that Nick will do the right thing and I will be playing as hard as I can this week to add to my year and hopefully earn one."

Poulter is up against the likes of Colin Montgomerie, Darren Clarke and Paul Casey in the contest to be one of Faldo's two wildcard picks.

Europe's Ryder Cup team is composed of 10 automatic selections plus two captain's picks.

The automatic selections are the top five players from a list based on the world rankings, plus the next five best players to feature on a European Tour-based points list.

Poulter is currently in eighth place on the Ryder Cup world points list.

The 37th Ryder Cup will be hosted by the United States at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville from 19 to 21 September.

[silly punt]

Poulter should not receive a wild card, he is making no attempt to qualify. In fairness to Justin Rose he has changed his whole schedule to ensure he makes the Ryder Cup. Darren Clarke won well in Holland last weekend & is playing in Gleneagles this weekend, another win would ensure his place, however he is showing good form & I think should get a wild card, not least because of his partnership with Lee Westwood.

That would leave Faldo with a choice of Casey. Poulter or Monty. Monty's form is cr@p & he really can't be picked. Which leaves Casey or Poulter neither of whom can score world points this week as the US tournament does not end till Monday. Neither have made the haul back to Europe to attempt to qualify (which begs the question do they know something we don't), but based purely on current form Casey seems to be the other pick. But Faldo may have a surprise up his sleeve?

[jezzer]

Poulter had a 25-footer in the Barclays. Faldo, commentating for US TV, goes "If he sinks this he's in the Ryder Cup team". Poulter knocks in the centre of the cup. "Eeehh, I still haven't made my mind up completely" mutters Faldo. Classic.

Word is Darren will lose out to Poulter. I know who I'd have on my Ryder Cup team. Monty won't get in. Likely to be Casey.

[Grumpy Old Man]

Word is Darren will lose out to Poulter. I know who I'd have on my Ryder Cup team. Monty won't get in. Likely to be Casey.

I'd be very surprised if Clarke lost out to Poulter, who I just don't rate.

Were I a betting man, and assuming no changes to the existing team after this weekend, I'd bet on Clarke and Casey. I'd love to see McGinley there but unless he wins this weekend there is no chance.

[jezzer]

Karlsson has a neck injury and might not make it. Dunno the rules, but Faldo could either go to the next in the points list or pick an extra wild card. Presume it'll have to be next in the list, which are Rose on the World list and McDowell on the European one. Rose then.

[Leinster Zulu]

If Poulter does really well in the States he can still qualify automatically via the World Points list.

Karlsson should be okay, but if he doesn't make it then the next in the list has to go, I think.

I think it's pretty clear nearly everyone wants to see Clarke and Casey get picked.

[silly punt]

If Poulter does really well in the States he can still qualify automatically via the World Points list.

Karlsson should be okay, but if he doesn't make it then the next in the list has to go, I think.

I think it's pretty clear nearly everyone wants to see Clarke and Casey get picked.

No he can't qualifying finishes on Sunday & the US tournament does not finish until Monday (labour Day in the US)...

[Donny B.]

Personally I'd take Clarke and Monty.

Monty's form hasn't been great for years, but he becomes a different player at the Ryder Cup and is a real team leader.

However I think Faldo will keep it English and take Casey and Poulter even though neither has been great this year.

My big worry for the team this year is Faldo's leadership. Personality-wise I could see him pissing off more players than he inspires.

[Leinster Zulu]

Mrs Doubtfire? You're the only sane poster I've seen actually seen wanting him to get picked.

SP, didn't know that. Cheers for the heads up. Poulter is a fool.

[jezzer]

Personally I'd take Clarke and Monty.

Monty's form hasn't been great for years, but he becomes a different player at the Ryder Cup and is a real team leader.

However I think Faldo will keep it English and take Casey and Poulter even though neither has been great this year.

My big worry for the team this year is Faldo's leadership. Personality-wise I could see him pissing off more players than he inspires.

Dunno, Donny. I think Faldo has mellowed a lot. He's a born winner and he's gonna hate being beaten by the Yanks. I think it'll be Poulter and Casey too. I'd have Clarke in there but maybe Faldo thinks it's too little too late from Darren.

[Donny B.]

Mrs Doubtfire? You're the only sane poster I've seen actually seen wanting him to get picked.

Thanks for the vote of confidence on my sanity LZ .

In fairness a certain Mr. P. Harrington of Rathfarnham seems to think the same way.

Harrington backs Monty for Valhalla
by Mark Doyle, 22 July 2008

Padraig Harrington is desperately hoping that Colin Montgomerie will be a part of the European team for this year’s Ryder Cup.

Veteran Scot Montgomerie looks unlikely to qualify automatically but he could be granted one of captain Nick Faldo’s two wildcard picks.

Certainly, Harrington, fresh from sealing his place at Valhalla with a stunning four-stroke win at the Open Championship on Sunday, believes that Monty deserves to be included.

”Now I’m in the team, I hope to tee it up with Monty. Going to back to the last few times I played with him, he would be a pick of mine,” the Irishman said of his regular playing partner.

”He is in a different man when it comes to the Ryder Cup. I don’t think there is any player who wouldn’t want to tee it up in a fourball or a four-somes with him and take on anybody in the world.”

Harrington, of course, will be one of the European team’s star players this September and he is ready to embrace a greater leadership role within the group if needs be.

However, he still believes that when it comes to providing guidance and inspiration, Monty is the man for the job.

”I am becoming one of the elder statesmen and certainly more experienced, with Major wins and things like that,” the Dubliner admitted.

”I am quite happy that I can perform to my level regardless of my position in the hierarchal system, whereas Monty clearly performs better by being a player captain.

”He likes to be out front leading and doing his thing. I am the kind of person that if I’m told I am playing number one, ten or seven I go out and put in the exact same performance.....

”But I will certainly have to step up at some stage. I am getting to the stage that I could be the captain.

”But I still think that’s Monty’s job if he shows the form he has in the last number of tournaments. He will be right up there for a pick."

[Grumpy Old Man]

Thanks for the vote of confidence on my sanity LZ .

In fairness a certain Mr. P. Harrington of Rathfarnham seems to think the same way.

Harrington backs Monty for Valhalla
by Mark Doyle, 22 July 2008


”But I still think that’s Monty’s job if he shows the form he has in the last number of tournaments. He will be right up there for a pick."

Unfortunately he hasn't though, thats the problem.

Poulter hasn't shown much form either.

The selection process was changed a few years ago to assist people like Garcia and Casey, who play much of their golf in the States. Caseys form hasn't been great this year, so I'm not sure about him.

Don't write off Nick Dougherty, who was one of the first graduates of the Falso Junior Series IIRC.

[Donny B.]

Can anyone tell me why Casey should be there?

He's a fine player on his day but he's done bugger all this season.

So if you're not picking on form then go with experience. Casey has two appearances and played well, but Monty has eight appearances and has generally been the main man, undefeated in single' matches.

Team matchplay is completely different from individual strokeplay and Monty clearly responds to it.

[jezzer]

Can anyone tell me why Casey should be there?

He's a fine player on his day but he's done bugger all this season.

So if you're not picking on form then go with experience. Casey has two appearances and played well, but Monty has eight appearances and has generally been the main man, undefeated in single' matches.

Team matchplay is completely different from individual strokeplay and Monty clearly responds to it.

How can a guy that is regularly getting spanked during the season show up and command a leadership position? I just can't see it and I don't see Faldo and Monty being a very good blend. Monty's shot - a great Ryder cup player, but the respect of his peers that he hung onto by his fingertips because of his playing record (despite moving the ball on the green to shorten his putt, unsporting conduct, several strops, general unpleasantness and cringeworthy domestic situation) is gone.

[silly punt]

Can anyone tell me why Casey should be there?

He's a fine player on his day but he's done bugger all this season.

So if you're not picking on form then go with experience. Casey has two appearances and played well, but Monty has eight appearances and has generally been the main man, undefeated in single' matches.

Team matchplay is completely different from individual strokeplay and Monty clearly responds to it.

How can a guy that is regularly getting spanked during the season show up and command a leadership position? I just can't see it and I don't see Faldo and Monty being a very good blend. Monty's shot - a great Ryder cup player, but the respect of his peers that he hung onto by his fingertips because of his playing record (despite moving the ball on the green to shorten his putt, unsporting conduct, several strops, general unpleasantness and cringeworthy domestic situation) is gone.

So its fair to say your not to fond of him, Jezzer?

[Donny B.]

Can anyone tell me why Casey should be there?

He's a fine player on his day but he's done bugger all this season.

So if you're not picking on form then go with experience. Casey has two appearances and played well, but Monty has eight appearances and has generally been the main man, undefeated in single' matches.

Team matchplay is completely different from individual strokeplay and Monty clearly responds to it.

How can a guy that is regularly getting spanked during the season show up and command a leadership position? I just can't see it and I don't see Faldo and Monty being a very good blend. Monty's shot - a great Ryder cup player, but the respect of his peers that he hung onto by his fingertips because of his playing record (despite moving the ball on the green to shorten his putt, unsporting conduct, several strops, general unpleasantness and cringeworthy domestic situation) is gone.

Well he did it in 2004, was playing lousy and had to rely on a wildcard and yet he was the European player of the tournament. I genuinely think the players would be happier with him in the team whatever they think of him as a person.

You may be right about a Monty-Faldo combination. The likes of Torrance, Langer and Woosie were happy for Monty to be the on-course leader but this may impinge on Faldo's ego. I still think Faldo could be the weakest link of this team.

[jezzer]

Can anyone tell me why Casey should be there?

He's a fine player on his day but he's done bugger all this season.

So if you're not picking on form then go with experience. Casey has two appearances and played well, but Monty has eight appearances and has generally been the main man, undefeated in single' matches.

Team matchplay is completely different from individual strokeplay and Monty clearly responds to it.

How can a guy that is regularly getting spanked during the season show up and command a leadership position? I just can't see it and I don't see Faldo and Monty being a very good blend. Monty's shot - a great Ryder cup player, but the respect of his peers that he hung onto by his fingertips because of his playing record (despite moving the ball on the green to shorten his putt, unsporting conduct, several strops, general unpleasantness and cringeworthy domestic situation) is gone.

So its fair to say your not to fond of him, Jezzer?

Don't think I'm alone there!

[silly punt]

27/08/2008 - 13:07:15
Ian Poulter’s decision to rely on a Ryder Cup wild card rather than play at Gleneagles this week does not appear to have gone down well with other players.

Darren Clarke, waiting to hear if he might be one of Nick Faldo’s picks after his win in Holland on Sunday, said today: “Most of us would have liked to see him trying to qualify.”

Poulter could have made the top 10 in the points table by coming fifth in the Johnnie Walker Championship, but is instead playing in Boston.

“He has stated his desire to make the team, so he obviously thinks it’s better for him to be over there,” added Clarke.

Colin Montgomerie, who believes his only chance of a wild card now is a return to form in Scotland, commented: “Every player who plays his way into the team makes the team stronger.

“He seems to have been on a hotline to Nick for a while, but it would have been nice for him to have played here.

“I can’t really speak for anybody playing or not playing – he has his own schedule.”

Poulter said in a statement on Monday that this week was his final chance to complete the 15 events required for membership of the US Tour.

“You might have thought he would have known that before he entered or pulled out of here,” added Montgomerie.

In any case, the US Tour extends to the start of November and if Poulter had flown back to Europe this week he would have six further chances to play his 15th event, the last two of them in Florida, where he has a base.

What coming to Scotland would have meant, though, is that the Open runner-up could not have qualified for the third leg of the FedEx Cup play-offs.

But with Clarke, Montgomerie, Paul Casey and Paul McGinley all needing one of Faldo’s two wild cards as well and with one week left to run would Faldo really have guaranteed Poulter a pick just to help his US Tour career?

Casey has also stayed in America, but the difference between him and Poulter this week is that he could not have made the team on points.

[T.C.B.]

Edit: Great minds etc.....

[Leinster til i die]

Poulter had a 25-footer in the Barclays. Faldo, commentating for US TV, goes "If he sinks this he's in the Ryder Cup team". Poulter knocks in the centre of the cup. "Eeehh, I still haven't made my mind up completely" mutters Faldo. Classic.

Word is Darren will lose out to Poulter. I know who I'd have on my Ryder Cup team. Monty won't get in. Likely to be Casey.

Faldo made that comment about Casey, not Poulter.