Monty feels Donald’s form doesn’t warrant Ryder Cup spot

Kevin Garside 06:11 02/09/2014
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  • Nothing personal: Donald should not be picked on the basis of current form.

    Luke Donald will be grateful that Colin Montgomerie is not wearing the king’s clothes at Wentworth today when Paul McGinley makes his three Ryder Cup selections.

    Donald is one of five on the X-Fac­tor stage awaiting the verdict. Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter, Stephen Gallacher and Francesco Molinari are the others widely agreed to be in the frame.

    Were Monty Europe’s captain, Donald, whom he selected at Celtic Manor four years ago, would not make the cut alongside the nine automatically qualified.

    “Paul will have to let somebody down. It is the hardest thing he will have to do as a captain. What he is saying is X is better than Y, and it is not going to please everybody. I had to leave out Paul Casey. He was No7 in the world and it was very difficult to do, nigh on impossible. There was nothing personal in it,” said the 2010 Ryder Cup captain.

    The rush to claim a place on the team this year has been impressive. Jamie Donaldson’s victory at the Czech Masters last week secured the eighth spot. Gallacher came up a fraction short in Italy in what came down to a duel with McDow­ell, but his desire and commitment to cross the line automatically, plus the leap in stature during this cycle, would win Monty’s vote.

    “Gallacher fought until the last minute to get there. He is the most improved player on the European Tour over the last couple of years on our tour. That’s the kind of form Paul has been talking about. I had the same with Peter Hanson. Gallacher strikes the ball as well as anyone and Gleneagles will suit him. Around a long, wet golf course he is as good as any.”

    As Montgomerie and most of the world see it, Poulter is a no-brainer. “He is a certainty. He’s also 12th on the list. So now you have two from four. It’s a toss of the coin almost. The only thing Donald and West­wood have over Gallacher is expe­rience. Both have been world No1s, have played in this event forever it seems. And then there is Molinari. It would be wrong to ignore him. If you want the fairway hit he is your man. He is very dependable and a great foursomes man.”

    OK Monty, so you have Poulter and Gallacher in your team. If not Donald, then who?

    “Westwood. There is not much in it. As I said, you can make a case for Francesco and Luke. But in the end you have to make a call. Though Lee has not had the season he would have liked he has a win and has shown up well in some big events.

    “He played well recently at the Bridgestone, where he closed with a 63, and at the PGA Championship, where he led on the first day with a 65. That shows he is in decent shape at the right time. Yes, it would be Lee for me.”

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