Darren Clarke's options for Europe's Ryder Cup wildcard picks

Europe face a monumental task to defend the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine, where they will face a US team overflowing with talent and a fine blend of youth and experience.

Dustin Johnson has arguably been the player of the season. Jordan Spieth has had a disappointing one - but he's won twice. Phil Mickelson has played some outstanding golf and Jimmy Walker was an exceptional winner of the PGA Championship. Brooks Koepka has contended almost every time he's played, while Brandt Snedeker is in form and has a win to his name.

Darren Clarke has a conundrum for Europe; does he add yet more inexperience to a side which will have at least five rookies, or does he rely on those whose past exploits entitle them to be part of the conversation?

Clarke's nine automatic qualifiers are locked in and he will add three selections on Tuesday - exactly one month before the Ryder Cup begins in Minnesota. 

Martin Kaymer

The man who holed the winning putt four years ago, Kaymer seems certain to make the side. Having been relatively close to qualifying, the case is obvious and of all those with Ryder Cup experience who are relying on a selection, he has been comfortably the most consistent this season.

What he does: Kaymer is a solid all-rounder whose biggest asset is his mind. He's won majors both ways - from behind and from the front - and for a man aged 31 has a wealth of experience. He's won in low and high-scoring conditions from the US to China and at various stops inbetween. 

Pros: Experienced, in-form and utterly reliable, Kaymer is exactly the type of player Clarke will need to rely on if Europe are to win the Ryder Cup. He's a player who could be thrown into any situation and handle it - be that teaming up with a rookie, leading the way in singles or even watching on if asked to sit out matches.

Cons: There are few, but Kaymer's chipping and pitching would be some sort of concern in foursomes.

Lee Westwood

The most experienced player with potential to get selected, Westwood boasts an outstanding Ryder Cup record which includes two points at Gleneagles when selected as a wildcard.

Crucially, Westwood is close friends with Clarke and while that alone won't get him selected, it does strengthen the case for him. In fairness, a string of consistent performances this season may make the decision easier.

What he does: Pounds greens. Westwood remains one of the best ball-strikers on the planet when on-song and that helps explain why he's been such a Ryder Cup stalwart, as he's so hard to beat given 15 or 16 greens in regulation is standard.

Pros: Experience. It really is the key word for Europe, who have rookies to look after. Even if he struggled with his game early and was taken out, Westwood could still be influential, which sets him apart from many of the other wild card contenders.

Cons: Very few. His record is so strong and while there were some real issues with form this time last year, Westwood appears to have rediscovered something like his best at just the right time. Yes, it's been a long time since he won a trophy of any kind but that shouldn't matter once this unique event begins.

Russell Knox

There will be much talk of unfairness if Knox does not make the team. Based in the US, Knox has been out of sight, out of mind for many European fans but his dedication to the event over the last six months cannot be questioned. Neither can his form.

Knox would be comfortably inside the automatic qualifiers had his World Golf Championship win, one of two this season, been when he was not yet a European Tour member.

What he does: Stripes it. Knox ranks 11th for fairways hit and second in greens on the PGA Tour this season; last year he tied with Jason Day in the latter category, seventh overall.

Not one of the current American qualifiers comes close, and Hazeltine is a demanding tee-to-green test. It's been shown many times before that neat and tidy can be a very powerful weapon in match play.

Pros: Knox has a steely confidence about him and is popular with those who know him well. He would make an ideal four-ball partner for a big-hitter and would not be easy to beat. He's also at the very top of his game and inside the world's top 20 - above many European qualifiers.

Cons: Inexperience. Clarke already has five rookies on his team and may consider that enough given that this is an away game against a highly talented side. Knox has no team golf on his resume and very little match play form of note.

Graeme McDowell

If Clarke wants experience, step forward the man who downed Jordan Spieth at Gleneagles having been asked to go out and get European blue on the board. That means McDowell has now done both jobs for Europe when it matters - leading from the front in Scotland having propped up the rear in Wales.

All of this is in keeping with his profile as a tenacious, passionate competitor, who has represented Europe in this event as well as Great Britain & Ireland in the Walker Cup, with great success.

What he does: At his best, he finds fairways for fun and, under the right conditions, converts those fairways found into greens hit. Once considered one of the best clutch putters on the planet, there have been one or two issues with the flat stick this season but the feeling is, when it comes to the crunch, he can still find the hole.

Pros: Experience. McDowell has seen it all when it comes to the Ryder Cup and has shown himself to be the man for the big occasion. In the absence of so-called 'Postman', Ian Poulter, McDowell could be a real leader for Europe and while he didn't perform to expectations at Medinah, he was one of few to emerge with credit at Valhalla in 2008. 

Cons: Form. McDowell has really struggled for consistency this year and much of this is down to the putter, which has misbehaved all too frequently. He failed to win a match at the WGC-Dell Match Play and has slipped back down the rankings, to a point which means he won't qualify for that competition next year unless improving.

Luke Donald

Donald hasn't had much success in 2016 but there have been flashes of the game which took him to the top of the world rankings. Importantly, one of those flashes came just last week with second place in the Wyndham Championship, where he was particularly pleased with his iron play and was largely mistake-free for the week.

Until that point, Donald hadn't really been part of the Ryder Cup conversation but he was keen to underline his own credentials when speaking to reporters afterwards. And in fairness, his credentials are exceptional.

What he does: At his best, Donald had arguably the best short-game in the world. Anything inside 100 yards represented a likely up and down and his putting was metronomically brilliant. He's also a brilliant match player, despite his quiet demeanour.

Pros: Ryder Cup record. Donald has been sensational in this competition, winning 10 of his 15 matches and halving another. In the absence of Poulter, his individual record is the strongest Europe has to offer and he's never been on the losing side. He's also spent much of his career in the US where he's popular with fans and has experience of Hazeltine.

Cons: Form. Prior to his runner-up finish at the Wyndham, Donald had gone 11 events without a top-10 finish, missing four cuts and failing to contend at any stage. It's possible to argue that his only strong performances this year have been on courses ideally suited to his game and he was nowhere near to qualifying automatically.

Thomas Pieters

There's a feeling that the big-hitting Belgian may just come up short on this occasion, but at 24 years of age there's plenty of time for him to prove a huge asset for future captains. Pieters has quickly climbed the ladder in Europe, winning twice last summer and claiming the Made In Denmark title at the weekend. 

What he does: Bombs it. Pieters is one of the longest hitters anywhere but, as is the case with so many of the up-and-coming youngsters, there's more to his game than that. He's shown he's got the full complement and looks sure to enjoy a bright future inside the world's top-50.

Pros: Pieters would be a relative unknown, certainly to the more casual Ryder Cup fan, and his aggressive game could catch anyone by surprise.

It's easy to draw comparisons with compatriot Nicolas Colsaerts, who produced an electric opening performance on his Ryder Cup debut, and Pieters is young enough and fearless enough to do even better. What's more, he went to college in the US and has winning form against the likes of Spieth.

Cons: He would be a gamble, and it's easy to argue that Clarke cannot afford to take one. Already in his side are the likes of Sullivan, Wood and Cabrera-Bello, who wouldn't be absolutely certain to thrive in the circumstances, and throwing Pieters into the mix would mean a maximum of six players with Ryder Cup experience - five if Knox also got the nod. 

Others to mention...

Shane Lowry: Would've looked a near-certainty to make the side when winning the WGC-Bridgestone and romping clear in the US Open, but his failure to convert in the latter has had a lasting impact. Lowry heads to Denmark needing a win to turn Clarke's head, but even that may not be enough. Would also be a rookie.

Francesco Molinari: Twice a Ryder Cup winner, in 2010 and 2012, and has been playing well for much of the season. Fairways and greens game looks good for this if given the right partner, which hasn't always been the case, and played well at Hazeltine in 2009. Still, not a player to strike fear into US hearts and unlikely to get a pick.

Soren Kjeldsen: Arguably deserves stronger consideration than appears likely given that he very nearly made the team. Yet to feature in the Ryder Cup but has team experience and is a tough, gritty competitor who is very popular on Tour. Straight off the tee and would've been an asset, but won't be selected.

Tyrrell Hatton: Latecomer to the party courtesy of a strong summer run, based largely around yet more fine play on links courses. Has impressed in the US recently and remains a bright prospect short of his 25th birthday, but needed a win to come under serious consideration.

Alex Noren: Unlike Hatton, Noren has won several times, including the high-profile Scottish Open this summer. He then looked set to win again in the Paul Lawrie Match Play only to lose the final to Anthony Wall, which looks to have ended his hopes of making the team. 

Who will Darren Clarke choose? Watch the announcement live on Tuesday August 30 from 12.30pm on Sky Sports News HQ.