Five of Europe’s leading players headed by Justin Rose and defending champion, Shane Lowry will forgo double European Ryder Cup points in teeing-up in this week’s non-European Tour sanctioned WGC – Bridgestone Invitational.
The European Tour has stripped the $US 9.5m Firestone event of Ryder Cup ranking points in a bitter wrangle with the PGA Tour over the PGA Tour’s decision to stage the tournament in Akron, Ohio up against the 100th staging of the French Open in Versailles.
It is a decision brought about by golf returning to the Olympics and needing to slot the August 10th commencing men’s event in Rio into the schedule.
As well, the European Tour has sought to attract the best of their Stateside-based stars to the French Open, and in a further unprecedented move as the tournament will count for two Race to Dubai events among a minimum of five they need to play to retain full membership.
Other European Tour members and playing in the States to tee-up in Ohio include Scotland’s Russell Knox, Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen and Sweden’s David Lingmerth.
Shane Lowry defending his Bridgestone title rather than teeing up in France (Photo – PGA Tour)
While Rose, at seventh on the present qualifying standings, would seem assured of earning a fourth European Ryder Cup team cap, Lowry is currently one place outside of the automatic nine qualifiers and with most observers believing the Irishman may be overlooked for a ‘wildcard’ pick should he not qualify for the team automatically.
Lowry had been torn for some time between a rock and a hard place in making a decision to tee-up in the defence of his title and cannot be criticised for wanting to defend the biggest win of his career.
“I’ve known for a while in my own mind that I wanted to defend in Akron,” said Lowry. “Any players I’ve spoken to have said I’m right, even though it won’t count on the European Tour this season and doesn’t have any Ryder Cup points.”
As for Knox, he missed out on a huge Ryder Cup team points haul as the Florida-based Scot was not a member of the European Tour in capturing last year’s WGC – HSBC Champions.
A second place finish behind Rory McIlroy at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open has helped Knox move into 20th place on the European Ryder Cup ‘World’ points list but then the Scot is going to need strong showings in Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open and the following week’s 145th Open Championship and the year’s final Major if he’s to become a member of Darren Clarke’s side.
In contrast, six of the nine leading Europeans on this year’s Ryder Cup points table, and headed by Masters champion Danny Willett and Rory McIlroy, will tee-up Thursday’s starting Euro 3.5m French Open.
Also in the field, and clearly in France to help boost their Hazeltine goal is double French Open winning Graeme McDowell, 2009 French Open champion Martin Kaymer along with Lee Westwood, lying 11th and just outside the top-five on the ‘World’ points list and defending champion Bernd Weisberger who is 21st on the primary ‘European’ Points list and would put himself in Hazeltine selection frame with a repeat victory on the Le National course.
And there’s the PGA Tour based Luke Donald who has shown his commitment in wanting to play under Clarke but also teeing-up in Versailles instead of Akron.
Also Welshman Jamie Donaldson, who has PGA Tour status, surely wants to be heading to Hazeltine and at 18th on the points table only needs to finish strongly in coming weeks and he’s right in the frame.
