If Rory McIlroy’s correct Darren Clarke has already decided on his three Hazeltine ‘wildcard’ picks despite Thomas Pieters’ dramatic Made in Denmark victory.

McIlroy revealed after his Barclays Championship closing round he received a text message from Clarke on Saturday night (US time) and with McIroy then phoning Europe’s captain for a long discussion on his three picks.

“I spoke to Darren quite a bit last night so I know what’s going to happen but then I don’t want to divulge anything,” he said.

“Unless Lee (Westwood) gets one of those picks I am probably the closest person Darren knows on the team as it is, so it’s good that we can talk about things.

“But Darren’s got a difficult decision to make ahead of announcing his three picks on Tuesday and you can make a case for all those in the mix.”

Rory McIlroy about to horse-shoe out for bogey at the last on the final day of the Barclays.

However before McIlroy went any further he stated:  “I don’t know how the European Tour event went today and whether or not Thomas Pieters won.

“So learning now Thomas has won, it’s going to be tough regardless and I know the fact that Darren’s already got five rookies in the team has been a reoccurring theme.

“But then Monty had six in the team, including myself at Celtic Manor though you only have to look at the US Team at Gleneagles and how well they played with a good their rookies in Patrick Reed and Jordan Spieth performed even though they really were not rookies.

“You look at our side and we have the Masters Champion in Danny Willett but then he’s in for a rude awakening when he stands on the first tee that Friday morning at Hazeltine.

“So it’s going to feel different for those who are rookies as it will feel different.”

And McIlroy then all but revealed two of Clarke’s picks no doubt in Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer.

“In speaking with Darren there is two guys set to be picked on Tuesday and then it’s really you could toss the other four or five names in the mix up in the air and pick one and everyone would be happy,” said McIlroy.

“But then he will be looking for someone who is going good for the team and whether that’s Thomas Pieters who went and won today or whether it’s Russell Knox who is top-20 in the world and fourth on the FedEx Cup points list I don’t know.”

Clarke’s predicament has led McIlroy to ask that perhaps future European Ryder Cup captains should follow the path now set by the USA team and with Davis Love 111 set to announce his final pick on Sunday night (US time) September 25th following the season-ending Tour Championship but then at half-time in the NFL Dallas Cowboys -v- Chicago Bears match being played in Dallas.

“That could be a good path that Europe consider going down but then the US team has staggered their picks with firstly three and then the fourth straight after the Tour Championship,” said McIlroy.

“I get that a captain wants his best team but then also there has to some merit system where guys like Billy Horschel, who I played with today, won the last two FedEx Cup events some years back but got over-looked.

“So Darren’s got a few decisions ahead of him but in speaking to him last night he was pretty confident who he was going to pick.

“But then with Thomas winning today it may all change.”

McIlroy’s final Barclays round of 73 for a level par tally was a sour mix of three birdies but also three bogeys, including his par putt at the last lipping out while he doubled the 16th finding a greenside bunker but failing to get out of the trap at the first attempt.

The four-time Major winner is spending Monday and Tuesday visiting the nearby ‘Big Apple’ with his fiancée, Erica before heading north to Boston for Thursday’s starting Deutsche Bank Championship.

“I won the Deutsche Bank and the following week’s BMW back-to-back four years ago and at the same courses we are playing this year so that will be good for me,” he said.

“But then my putting still has a long way to go and my bad putt on the practice putting green in left and my bad putt on the course, like that one there at 18, is right.

“So it’s still a long way to go.”