Rory picks G-Mac again

Darren Clarke's Open Championship win has not been enough to earn him a place in Ireland's team for the World Cup in November.

McIlroy and McDowell to team up for Ireland in World Cup

While it may have made him the talk of golf, Darren Clarke's Open Championship win has not been enough to earn him a place in Ireland's team for the World Cup in November. Ireland's top representative in the world rankings, number four Rory McIlroy, had the right to invite Clarke, Graeme McDowell or Padraig Harrington to be his partner at Mission Hills in China and he has opted for McDowell. "G-Mac's the next highest on the rankings, so it will be me and him again," McIlroy said explaining his decision. Clarke moved up from 111th to 30th in the world rankings after his triumph at Sandwich two weeks ago, while three-major winner Harrington is now down at 64th. McIlroy and world No 12 McDowell represented Ireland - in golf the Republic and Northern Ireland come together - the last time the World Cup was staged two years ago. The Macs will be hoping to go one better this time around after finishing as runners-up to Italian brothers Edoardo and Francesco Molinari in 2009.