Who will Nick pick?
Last updated: 17th December 2007
Montgomerie: will he make it?
Robert Lee and Mark Roe have stepped into Nick Faldo's shoes nine months early to predict how Europe's 2008 Ryder Cup team will look.
Our Golf Night experts are already looking ahead to next year's showdown at Valhalla and both expect to see the likes of Paul Casey, Luke Donald, Niclas Fasth, Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Justin Rose and Lee Westwood in Faldo's line-up.
However, there was disagreement over the inclusion of Colin Montgomerie - even though both of our experts do not expect Faldo to give Monty a wildcard - and Mark wants to see younger stars included at the expense of seasoned campaigners like Darren Clarke.
Here is how their teams looked:
Robert Lee's Ryder Cup Team
Paul Casey, Darren Clarke, Luke Donald, Nick Dougherty, Niclas Fasth, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Justin Rose, Lee Westwood, Simon Dyson, Colin Montgomerie.
Dougherty is starting to play well now and I think he has the pedigree to become the next young, English player to make the side.
Fasth will be consistent as usual, but my two wildcards are Dyson and Montgomerie. I don't think Monty will make the automatic 10 places, but I think if he finishes inside the top 20 then Faldo should pick him.
Saying that, I don't think he will pick him, but I think he should because of what Monty brings to the team as a sort-of playing captain. His value is beyond compare and I think a side without Monty would not be as strong.
From what I can pick up I don't think Faldo and Montgomerie get on well and there is a little bit of friction there.
But the rest of my side speak for themselves, I think.
Mark Roe's Ryder Cup Team
Paul Casey, Luke Donald, Niclas Fasth, Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Ian Poulter, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, Marc Warren, Lee Westwood, Nick Dougherty, Ross Fisher.
I've got a slightly younger look. I've got stalwarts like Casey, Donald, Harrington and Jimenez, while Westwood and Rose are nailed on.
Fasth is a great aggressive player to have in the side and Dougherty would be a wildcard pick for me if he is close because he is playing some tremendous stuff.
I think Stenson will battle his way in and Marc Warren will be a surprise to some people, but he played so well at the World Cup with Monty and I think he's getting better and better.
Like Dougherty, if Ross Fisher is on the fringe he may get a wildcard pick because he is one of the best up-and-coming players. He has a strong chance.
I don't think Monty is putting well enough and that is why I have excluded him - no other reason. I know what a superb team man he is and I know he is like a 15th club in the bag every time he plays for the Ryder Cup team.
He will have to be 11th or 12th to get a pick from Faldo and I don't think he will get close enough this year. I'd love him too though, obviously and I hope I'm wrong.
A lot will have to go with form at the time.
