EUROPEAN RYDER CUP TEAM IS SET

By mustang6560 on 8/31/10

With only 30 days left before the Ryder Cup, European captain Colin "Monty" Montgomerie used his three captain's picks to finalize the 12-man roster for Team Europe.

Colin Montgomerie, faced with arguably the most difficult decision any Captain has had regarding wild cards, has named Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald and Edoardo Molinari as the three men to complete his line-up.

They join automatic qualifiers Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter, Ross Fisher, Francesco Molinari, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Peter Hanson in Europe’s Ryder Cup Team.

This roster is interesting as it features a pair of brothers - Edoardo and Francesco Molinari - for the first time since 1963. Monty's decision to select Edoardo may come as a surprise to some, but the Italian has played well this year and most recently won the Johnnie Walker Championship in Gleneagles, Scotland over the weekend. He hit back to back to back birdies to finish with at -10. Edoardo's steam roll to the end showed the kind of confidence Monty is looking for in his players.

Montgomerie said Molinari, who birdied the last three holes to win on Sunday, is "the type of player we need to regain this Ryder Cup."

"In my 24 years on the European Tour I have not seen a finish of that quality by anyone in such a pressure situation," Montgomerie said.

The two notables players snubbed for this year's Team Europe roster are Paul Casey and Justin Rose. Monty had three spots for five worthy candidates and it was Casey, the world No. 9, and Rose, who won twice on the PGA Tour, who ended up not making the cut.

I can't image being captain is much fun, especially when you have to make tough decisions that will be scrutinized. If Edoardo does not bring his A-game, Colin may not hear the end of it.

Quick note for Team USA, Captain Corey Pavin will announce his four wildcards next week. Stay tuned...


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