Poll: Your Three European Ryder Cup Captain's Picks
/On Tuesday, September 2 at 7 am ET Paul McGinley announces his three choices in the often political and always sensitive European selection race. You can view the final points lists here and see the live announcement from Wentworth on Golf Channel.
Before voting, a few food-for-thought items to check out.
Brandel Chamblee calls Ian Poulter's selection a no-brainer and in the same piece you can hear from the classy Stephen Gallacher kicking off the same Golf Central piece. It's quite interesting to see Poulter's past success has bought him a place on the team considering his season. Ewan Murray in his Observer preview of the captain's picks and the various elements involved also makes the same statement.
Regarding Gallacher, Martin Dempster points this out about the Scotsman's track record at the Gleneagles Centenary course.
...it will not escape his notice surely that, in addition to the fact Gallacher came within a whisker of making the team at Gleneagles, the player has also recorded seven top-ten finishes over the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles in his last 12 appearances in events at the Perthshire venue.
Monty says Gallacher should make the team. That and many other thoughts from the former Captain in Kevin Garside's reporting.
James Corrigan suggests Luke Donald may be the odd man out because of Gallacher's great run, and says this about passing on Gallacher:
Believe it, McGinley would be the golfing equivalent of the man who shot Bambi if he snubbed the local hero, particularly after the events at Circolo Golf Turin.
Cameron Morfit makes one final case for Bernhard Langer and includes Captain McGinley's quote all but ruling out the former captain and now-Champions Tour player. But note what McGinley says about the basis for his feelings.
“It's very hard for me to evaluate Bernhard because he's not playing in World Ranking points,” McGinley said recently. As captain, he added, he makes up his team based on World Ranking points and European Order of Merit points. “Now, Bernhard doesn't count in either of those,” McGinley said. “The only event he's played in that has World Ranking points or European Order of Merit points is the Masters.” (Langer tied for eighth place with, among others, Rory McIlroy.)
And Lee Westwood and Luke Donald and Ian Poulter!
Based on McGinley's view that the world points will factor most in his decision, I've listed the players below in approximate order related to their 2014 points.
Please, just three votes...
