European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley will announce his three ‘wildcard’ picks some 12 hours before rival USA captain Tom Watson will also choose his three ‘wildcard’ picks.
McGinley will face the golf media at 12.30pm Tuesday 2nd September within the Wentworth Clubhouse in Surrey at 12.30pm UK time.#
Watson will face the media at 7pm US time, and six-and-a-half hours later in the home of “Saturday Night Live” in New York City.
However in a bizarre twist to the important process of choosing ‘wildcard’ picks US fans can join in the fun by entering the interactive “MyCaptainsPicks” contest with Captain Watson.
A first-of-its-kind social media engagement program, #mycaptainspicks simply asks sports fans to choose the three players they think Watson will pick to complete his 12-player team. Fans 18 and over can make their predictions on MyCaptainsPicks.comthrough Sept. 2. Visit RyderCup.com to also see picks from celebrities, as they share their passion for golf.
Tom Watson to name his three ‘wildcard’ picks some 12 hours after Paul McGinley. (Photo – Stuart Adams/www.golftourimages.com)
RELATED: Visit MyCaptainsPicks.com | Tom Watson’s latest Captain’s Blog | Team USA | Team Europe
Fan entries with all three picks exactly matching Watson’s selections will be entered into a drawing for the grand prize of a once-in-a-lifetime trip for two to the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland including: Two 2014 Ryder Cup tickets for the climate-controlled Harris Pavilion (Sept. 23-28); complimentary roundtrip airfare for two to Scotland; five nights of accommodations at the Hilton Glasgow; a limited-edition United States Ryder Cup Team shirt; a round of golf at a premier golf course in Scotland; a new set of golf clubs from Adams Golf; and a $50 per-person, per-day Ryder Cup food and beverage credit.
Nine automatic berths on the U.S. Ryder Cup Team were secured following the conclusion of the 96th PGA Championship. The Americans clinching a spot on the team that will compete against Europe in the 40th Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in Perthshire, Scotland are: Five-time major champion Phil Mickelson, two-time Masters Champion Bubba Watson, 2003 U.S. Open Champion Jim Furyk, 2007 Masters Champion Zach Johnson, and PGA Tour stars Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar, Jordan Spieth, Jimmy Walker and Patrick Reed.
“I’m delighted with the nine players who have made the team,” said Watson. “I believe that each player has the ability to play great golf and compete at the highest level in the Ryder Cup. The selection of the three Captain’s picks for the 40th Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland is my focus the next few weeks. MyCaptainsPicks is a fun opportunity for fans to engage with the Ryder Cup in a style that’s unprecedented. I hope the winners have a great trip to the Ryder Cup!”
PGA President Ted Bishop added: “With each of the nine automatic qualifiers ranked among the Top 30 in the World Golf Rankings, the U.S. Ryder Cup Team is building a formidable squad to compete against Europe’s best. Through social media and extraordinary digital access, a new generation of golf fans will discover the passion of the Ryder Cup. MyCaptainsPicks is an exciting and innovative way for fans to engage and compete to win a trip to Scotland and cheer on Team USA.”
Fans may vote multiple times through Sept. 2 at 12 a.m. ET, but only their last entry will count towards the sweepstakes. The winner will be selected in a random drawing on Sept. 3.
The 40th Ryder Cup between the United States and Europe will be held at Gleneagles on the Jack Nicklaus designed-Centenary Course in Perthshire, Scotland, Sept. 26-28, 2014. NBC and Golf Channel will combine to broadcast the event live in its entirety in the United States for the first time ever from European soil
