European Ryder Cup captain, Paul McGinley declared those who have performed well at Gleneagles will be well in line for Ryder Cup wildcard selection.

This week’s Johnnie Walker Championship will be the last for two years with the Ryder Cup to be staged on the PGA Centenary course in 13 months.

McGinley first visited Gleneagles as the new European Team captain earlier this year and this week will tee-up also seeking to end an eight-year winless drought.

Paul McGinley hints Gleneagles performers will take center stage in Ryder Cup. (Photo – Stuart Adams – www.golftourimages.com)

“It all doors open as far as I’m concerned,” said McGinley.

“I’m a firm believer in horses for courses and a believer in form over a course. It’s no coincidence that you see players coming back year after year to certain venues or certain courses that suit their eyes, suit their game and they play well.

“So I’ll be watching closely how players perform this week, especially those who have done well here in the past. That would be a big marker and that’s a statistic I would look at closely when it comes to making my three picks.”

However disappointing McGinley is that just two members of last year’s victorious European side in defending Johnnie Walker champion, Paul Lawrie and Italy’s Francesco Molinari will tee up in the third of four Scottish events this season.

All other Medinah winning team members, with the exception of the injured Nicolas Colsaerts, will tee up later Thursday in the Barclays Championship and the first of four tournaments in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Play Off Series.

“I think disappointed would not be the right word to use,” said McGinley.

“But then I understand that and, if you look at when we played tournaments in Ireland and in Wales before the Ryder Cups in those countries in 2006 and 2010, there was always a large number of prospective players who didn’t play in those events.

“Guys like Justin (Rose) and Lee (Westwood) have played this golf course in the past and players adapt very quickly to getting to know a golf course, as I remember from when we played in Detroit in 2004. I had never seen the Oakland Hills until the Tuesday morning.”

In the absence of 10 of their Medinah teammates both Lawrie and Molinari, and also the only members of the 2012 winning side without PGA Tour membership, intend to make the most of their opportunities before qualifying officially begins at next week’s Wales Open.

“I am keen to get a few points up early like I did last time, and I definitely need to get off to a good start in the Ryder Cup year,” said Lawrie.

“It helps to build confidence to kick on and cement your place.

“I also feel it would feel it would be easier to get into the Gleneagles team if I qualified for Jose Maria Olazabal’s side last year.

“I felt if you 15 years since you played in the Ryder Cup, I’m not sure if that’s doable for somebody, so getting into in the Medinah team I thought gives me a better chance of getting into the Gleneagles team.”

Molinari is no stranger to Gleneagles having had four top-10s in seven starts and he is hoping his impressive record on the course may lead to a third straight Ryder Cup appearance.

“Gleneagles suits my eye and having played well in the past just builds your confidence, so every time I get back here, I know it’s a place where I can do well.

“Also I wish to be here and hope to be here next year.  It’s going to be a special playing the Ryder Cup at the home nation of golf, and I’m sure the crowds will be fantastic.

“I managed to qualify automatically the last two times, so I am hoping and I’m planning to do the same, and then we’ll see.

“But if things don’t go according to plan, we’ll see next year who the Captain picks, but it’s nice to know that I have a good record on this track.”