Ryder Cup: Poulter, Garcia and Lowry named as Harrington's picks as Rose misses out

By Sports Desk September 12, 2021

Europe captain Padraig Harrington has selected Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Shane Lowry as his wildcard picks for the Ryder Cup, but there is no place for Justin Rose on the 12-player roster.

Rose has competed in five of the last six editions of the biennial tournament, but he was overlooked by Harrington after a poor season on the PGA Tour that saw him fail to make the top 125 on the order of merit list.

Harrington opted for experienced names in Garcia and Poulter, while Lowry was given a reprieve of sorts after being knocked out of the automatic selection places when Bernd Wiesberger finished tied-20th at the BMW PGA Championship on Sunday.

Wiesberger, Poulter, Garcia and Lowry join Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Paul Casey, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Viktor Hovland, who all qualified through the rankings.

"I am absolutely thrilled with my team, with all of our picks we have the strongest 10, 11 and 12 we've ever had," Harrington said on Sunday.

Asked about the inclusion of Poulter, who is set to compete in his seventh Ryder Cup, Harrington said: "He is undefeated in singles. He lifts himself, he lifts his partners, he lifts the team.

"I'm getting a player who is in probably the best form of his life. He consistently motivates people around him. That's so important to the team. I know I have players who are good enough to deliver and Poulter is at the heart of our team."

Europe are looking to retain the trophy at Whistling Straits later this month following their 17.5-10.5 triumph over the United States in Paris three years ago.

USA finalised their squad on Wednesday, with captain Steve Stricker selecting Jordan Spieth and Xander Schauffele among his wildcard picks.

Schauffele was one of four rookies chosen by Stricker along with Daniel Berger, Harris English and Scottie Scheffler, with Tony Finau – part of the beaten side in 2018 – completing the captain's picks.

Collin Morikawa, Dustin Johnson, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas and Patrick Cantlay had already locked in spots for the USA.

Related items

  • Robert MacIntyre mocks American Ryder Cup team with caddie’s bib in Florida Robert MacIntyre mocks American Ryder Cup team with caddie’s bib in Florida

    Ryder Cup winner Robert MacIntyre trolled his American hosts at the Valspar Championship in Florida after labelling his caddie’s bib with the scoreline from Europe’s victory in Rome.

    The Scot, who was unbeaten with two-and-a-half-points in the Marco Simone Country Club in September, took advantage of a quirk of the tournament which allows players to choose their own wording for their bagman’s attire.

    MacIntyre opted for EUR 16.5 – 11.5 USA, a reference to America’s crushing defeat as Luke Donald’s side won back the trophy, for Mike Burrows’ bib.

    However, Englishman Burrows was not even on MacIntyre’s bag for the Ryder Cup as they did not pair up until a month later.

    MacIntyre’s choice understandably received mixed responses. Ryder Cup Europe posted on X: “He’s only gone and done it. We approve” but their USA counterparts wrote “Never too soon to start thinking about Bethpage in 2025”, while the official PGA Tour account simply said “Too soon?”

    Unfortunately for the 27-year-old left-hander he could not rediscover the form he showed in Italy, with just two birdies and a bogey in a one-under opening round which left him six off the lead set by Kevin Streelman.

    The Scot’s two American playing partners Kevin Roy and Chandler Phillips both outscored him, shooting six under and three under respectively.

    MacIntyre is making his ninth appearance on the PGA Tour this season and has missed the cut in half of his previous events, including last week’s Players Championship.

  • Zandre Roye dominates to claim T&T Open Golf Championship title Zandre Roye dominates to claim T&T Open Golf Championship title

    Zandre Roye, hailing from Jamaica, etched his name in history books as he clinched the Trinidad & Tobago Open Golf Championship title, becoming the first Jamaican to achieve this remarkable feat. Roye's stellar performance saw him dominate the field from day one, ultimately securing victory by a commanding nine-shot margin at the Tobago Plantation Golf Course on Sunday.

    Throughout the four-day championship, Roye showcased exceptional consistency and skill, posting impressive scores of four over par 76, one under par 71, one over par 73, and par 72 on days one through four, respectively. Holding the lead from start to finish, Roye's determination propelled him to an overall score of four over par 292, firmly establishing his dominance over the competition.

    His nearest competitor, Zico Correia from Trinidad & Tobago, trailed behind with a score of 13 over par 301, securing second place, while Chris Richards Jr., also from Trinidad & Tobago, claimed third place with a score of 18 over par 306.

    Reflecting on his historic victory, Roye expressed his elation and described his mindset during the challenging conditions on the final day. Confident in his abilities and drawing on past experiences, he maintained his composure and focused on executing each shot to perfection, ultimately widening the gap between himself and his closest rivals.

    Roye's commanding lead allowed him to navigate the final holes with confidence, culminating in a triumphant finish on the last hole with a nine-shot advantage. His remarkable achievement marks a significant milestone in his golfing career and reaffirms his status as one of the sport's rising stars.

    Looking ahead, Roye sets his sights on the Easter Jamboree at the Upton Estate Golf & Country Club, eager to continue his winning momentum on his home course.

    Despite facing formidable competition, fellow Jamaican golfers Oshae Haye and Sean Morris displayed commendable performances, finishing in 15th and 18th place, respectively, in the championship flight.

    In addition to Roye's individual triumph, Jamaica secured victory in the President's Cup, propelled by the stellar performances of Roye and Haye. Trinidad & Tobago claimed second place, with St. Kitts & Nevis rounding out the top three.

    Dr. Mark Newnham emerged victorious in the Senior's Flight, while Zeke Percival of St. Kitts & Nevis and Russell Latapy of Trinidad & Tobago secured second and third place, respectively.

    The Jamaica Olympic Association and the Betting Gaming and Lotteries Commission played integral roles in facilitating Jamaica's participation in the championship.

  • Tiger Woods named on entry list for next month’s Masters Tiger Woods named on entry list for next month’s Masters

    Tiger Woods has been included in an 85-man field for the Masters published on the tournament’s official website.

    Woods has not competed since withdrawing from February’s Genesis Invitational due to illness after six holes of his second round.

    It was the 48-year-old’s first PGA Tour event of the season and just his second tournament since undergoing ankle surgery in April last year after withdrawing from the Masters during the third round.

    Woods did not compete again until the Hero World Challenge in December, where he finished 18th in the 20-man field but said he was pleased with his progress and that his goal of playing one tournament a month in 2024 was “reasonable”.

    The 15-time major winner has not officially confirmed his participation in the Masters but will be desperate to return to Augusta National, where he won his first major title in 1997 and his most recent in 2019.

    Woods was one of the six PGA Tour player-directors who met officials from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in the Bahamas on Monday as efforts continue to make a deal to end golf’s civil war.

    PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan met PIF governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan in January and the players followed suit the day after the Players Championship concluded at Sawgrass.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.