Paul McGinley questions the timing of the final US Ryder Cup wildcard
By Keith Jackson
Last Updated: 19/09/16 9:28pm
Paul McGinley will be "intrigued" to see how the final US wildcard fares in next week's Ryder Cup, although he insisted he is surprised by the late timing of Davis Love's final pick.
US captain Love will announce his 12th and final player following the conclusion of the Tour Championship on Sunday evening, with two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson and youngsters Justin Thomas and Daniel Berger believed to be among the leading contenders.
European skipper Darren Clarke finalised his team three weeks ago and can spend the week preparing his strategy while consulting his players and backroom staff.
But much of Love's focus this week will be on the FedExCup finale at East Lake in Atlanta, where a number of American players will hope to force their way into his plans for Hazeltine.
"This is an exciting time for the captains," McGinley told Sky Sports News HQ. "Their players are all in place apart from one wildcard still to be added to the American team, and this is when the communication with the vice-captains increases.
"There will also be discussions with the players over possible pairings and practice, getting the final preparations sorted, and strategy also.
"The Americans have changed their process for selecting wildcards this year, but I think the European format works just fine. If it isn't broken, don't fix it! We've won eight of the last 10 and we're obviously on a great run of form and success in Europe.
"Davis Love III chose Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar and JB Holmes as his first three wildcards, and he's still got a lot of high-quality players to choose from with his remaining pick. Those three are all solid choices, although many were caught by surprise when Bubba Watson wasn't among them.
"That leads me to think that Bubba needs a big performance in the Tour Championship this week to earn that final wildcard place. He's up against it, and if he doesn't play well in Atlanta then he's unlikely to be at Hazeltine.
"I'm a little surprised that they have left their final pick so late, and there's a lot of pressure on the players hoping to get the call from Davis Love. It will be interesting to see if he goes for experience, or whether he takes a chance on a younger player.
"Bubba and Jim Furyk fit the bill if he wants the experiences, but the indications are that Justin Thomas or Daniel Berger could be higher up the list. Much will depend on what happens this week, and whoever is chosen will go straight from Atlanta to Hazeltine.
I'm a little surprised that they have left their final pick so late, and there's a lot of pressure on the players hoping to get the call from Davis Love
Paul McGinley
"It will be a lot to take in for that last man, there's plenty to organise not just for them, but for their family and friends as well. They will need extra mental energy for the week ahead, and I'm finding it hard to see how they can justify making that last pick at the 11th hour. But I'm looking forward to seeing who that player is, and how he performs in the Ryder Cup."
McGinley captained Europe to a third consecutive victory at Gleneagles two years ago, after which the American set-up came in for scathing criticism and led to the formation of a Ryder Cup "task force", featuring the likes of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
"The defeat at Gleneagles was the eighth for the Americans in the last 10 contests, so it clearly got to the stage where they needed to do something different," McGinley added. "The players have now taken ownership of this Ryder Cup, and their "task force" has been much talked about.
"They got the captain they wanted in Davis Love, and the players such as Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk, are having a big say in how the team is shaping up - including the wildcards.
"The players have shouldered the pressure and there's a lot of expectation on Team USA this year. There are a lot of questions still to be answered, when the Ryder Cup is over, most of them regarding the task force, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it unfolds.
"Davis still has to focus on his final wildcard pick, and what to do if somebody comes out of nowhere to win the Tour Championship and the FedExCup. Davis still has so much on his plate, when all Darren is thinking about right now is strategy.
"He's thinking about his pairings, he's communicating with his players and his backroom team and he's quite clear in what he's doing in the build-up to next week. But there's a lot of work on the table for Davis before he can do that."
