Darren Clarkes Hails His Hazeltine Top-9 As ‘Fantastic Blend Of Youth & Experience’.

Darren Clarke has hailed his Hazeltine top-9 automatic qualifiers as a ‘fantastic blend of youth and experience’ ahead of choosing his three wildcard picks next Tuesday.

For a third time in succession four-time Major winning Rory McIlroy qualified top of the Team points list.

And included in his team is two current Major winners in Masters champion Danny Willett and Royal Troon winning hero, Henrik Stenson.

However Clarke’s side does boast five rookies who qualified including Willett along with fellow Englishman Chris Wood, Danny Sullivan and Matt Fitzpatrick along with Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello.

Darren-Clarke-with-the-Ryder-Cup

And with most observers believing Clarke will select Scotland’s Russell Knox as one of three ‘wildcard’ picks then Clarke’s team will boast a record-equalling six rookies and matching the same number Colin Montgomerie took into battle in 2010 at Celtic Manor.

“I am absolutely delighted with the nine players who have qualified,” said Clarke.

“They offer not only a fantastic blend of youth and experience but also some exciting partnership possibilities.

“In the experienced corner we have two men who have lit up the world of golf in recent weeks, Open champion Henrik Stenson and Olympic champion Justin Rose, joined by Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy who, aside from being two of the most dynamic Ryder Cup performers of recent years, are also winners this year… Sergio in the U.S. and Rory in Europe.

“In the rookies’ corner it is very rare you begin any such list with the reigning Masters champion but we are fortunate to do just that with Danny Willett while Rafa Cabrera Bello, Matt Fitzpatrick, Andy Sullivan and Chris Wood bring a mixture of consistency and success.”

Clarke’s choice of ‘wildcard’ picks will come from Knox along with Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer plus the Irish pair of Graeme McDowell and Shane Lowry.

Lowry will putt all his hopeful Hazetline eggs into this week’s Made in Denmark event while McDowell, who has virtually written off making a fifth straight European Team, will be teeing up in the Barclays Championship and the opening event of the FedEx Cup Play-Offs.

Rival USA captain Davis Love 111 will announce three of his four ‘wildcard’ picks next Monday in New York City after the Barclays and save his fourth and final pick to September 11th.

At this stage, and with the Barclays to decide his Hazeltine side, Love 111s top eight areĀ U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson, PGA Championship winner Jimmy Walker and rookie Brooks Koepka are set to make the team while Brandt Snedeker, Zach Johnson, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Matt Kuchar and Rickie Fowler are still in the mix.

 



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