Darren Clarke says seven players in contention for Ryder Cup
Wednesday 24 August 2016 23:26, UK
Europe's Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke is debating up to seven players ahead of selecting his final three for his squad on Monday.
All nine automatic qualification spots for this year's event have already been decided, despite the Made In Denmark tournament still to be played this week.
Clarke is now left to choose three wildcards for his squad to take to Hazeltine, and the 48-year-old is still contemplating at least two golfers for each spot.
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"I'm looking at six or seven people still at the moment," Clarke told Sky Sports News HQ. "I have my mind quite a bit there on a few but there's quite a few guys who can still get in there."
Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick claimed the ninth and final automatic spot on Sunday, and with the biennial contest starting on September 30, Clarke is now beginning to consult with his squad about potential pairings.
Clarke will have at least five rookies lining up alongside more seasoned campaigners like Rory McIlroy and Henrik Stenson, with further rookies including Russell Knox still hoping to make the cut.
"I'm delighted with the top nine who qualified," said Clarke. "Those are the guys that have obviously played very, very well over the qualification period, they've all earned their place there by merit and we've got a wonderful blend of experience and youth in there.
"I've spoken to nearly all of them and they're very keen and excited to be part of the team. I've been speaking about potential pairings, 'who would you like to play with most?' You try to balance that out."
Europe go into the Ryder Cup having won the last three competitions, but Clarke insisted there is no added pressure because of previous achievements.
He added: "The stuff about winning four in a row is irrelevant, we're going there to win as an individual Ryder cup, not following up on the success of others."
