No shocks for Irish duo

Four picks are as McGinley anticipated

Last updated: 9th September 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

No shocks for Irish duo

McGinley: big-hitting team

I wish I'd had a bet on - I thought they would be his four picks.

Paul McGinley
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Corey Pavin's wildcard picks for next month's Ryder Cup came as little surprise to European vice-captains Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley.

The United States skipper selected Tiger Woods, Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson and Rickie Fowler for his team for Celtic Manor, with 21-year-old rookie Fowler probably the unlikeliest 'pick'. The Californian is the first PGA Tour rookie to be selected to the team without winning a tour title.

But Clarke told Sky Sports News: "I'm not surprised. Obviously Tiger - the best player in the world - was always going to be a pick. It would be tough to be at Celtic Manor without Tiger and he is starting to play a lot better.

"In Stewart Cink and Zach Johnson you have got two fantastic competitors - both major winners. And Rickie Fowler is a young, exciting kid, obviously a great player.

"It was almost a situation like we had as well; you had to leave some good players out. And unfortunately the likes of Lucas Glover and Anthony Kim have missed out, which I'm sure they will be disappointed in. He just has a wealth of riches and he has picked four fantastic players."

McGinley went further, insisting he could have predicted the four names announced on Tuesday.

Bet

"I am not really surprised," he said. "I wish I'd had a bet on - I thought they would be his four picks.

"Three were pretty standard in Woods, Cink and Johnson and I had a feeling he was going to go for a punt on Rickie Fowler, who is a an exciting young player and I think will be a good addition to his team."

With Celtic Manor expected to play long, and wet weather a distinct possibilty in October, McGinley also pointed to one of the strengths of the US team.

He added: "It is a very big-hitting team. They have four of the biggest hitters in the world in Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson, (Phil) Mickelson and probably Rickie Fowler as well too, so it is a big-hitting, strong team."