Russell Knox has called for a ‘fair and just’ process in team selection should the 2020 Ryder Cup go ahead.
The staging of the 43rd Ryder Cup continues to be a hot topic of discussion in a COVID-19 pandemic disrupted season and despite the biennial event still five months away.
Rival captains Padraig Harrington and Steve Stricker are united in wishing for the Ryder Cup to be played in the last week of September, and if it means no spectators lining the shores of Lake Michigan.
World No. 1 Rory McIlroy is the latest to add his two pence worth declaring: “A Ryder Cup without fans, it’s not a Ryder Cup.
“For me, I’d much rather they delay it until 2021 than play it at Whistling Straits without fans.”
Knox had been left gutted four years ago after having won twice in the 2016 European Team qualifying period to be overlooked by Belgium’s Thomas Pieters who won Darren Clarke’s favour in capturing the 2016 Made in Denmark, and the final qualifying event.
Knox is striving to regain that 2016 victory form and should the PGA Tour resume on June 11th in Fort Worth, Texas, he will be striving to make every post a Ryder Cup selection winner.
What will disappoint the proud Scot is if the European Tour and PGA of America as the respective joint organising bodies, ignore any present and/or revised qualifying guidelines to allow Harrington and Stricker to choose their twelve best ‘mates’.
Knox said: “If they simply allow Padraig and Stricker to choose 12 players then I know I probably won’t get a pick and if that was also to be the case, I just don’t believe that is a fair way to pick either side.
“It would mean Padraig and Stricker picking their friends and also those guys who have done well in the past. It just would not be a fair and just selection system.
Scotland’s Russell Knox calling for a ‘fair and just’ selection process should the 2020 Ryder Cup go ahead.
“I believe qualifying for a Ryder Cup is important and knowing it is an amazing event to not only be a player and even a spectator, and while I am yet to be a part of a Ryder Cup and it’s also huge for both tour’s, if there’s not a ‘legit’ qualifying period how can it really go ahead?
“Padraig and Steve could pick 12 guys and no one would really argue with that as all 24 players would be excellent players but would those guys had qualified automatically? Probably not!”
“It’s why it would not be right if Padraig and Steve were given the choice to simply pick their 12 favourites. Would it be fun and would it be a legitimate Ryder Cup? Absolutely!
“If that should be the decision and they don’t make it on team selection, it would just be strange and also would not present the opportunity for a potential, new, young rookie making a real impression on his Ryder Cup debut as opposed to selecting older guys who have the experience.”
Of course, no decision has been made if the 2020 Ryder Cup will still go ahead but if it does Knox has his own view on what would be fair.
He said: “Maybe if they do go down the path of each captain selecting the players that there be a rule in place, they should also have to pick a couple of rookies because if Padraig and Steve were simply left to picking 12 players they are not going to pick any rookies are they?
“It also would be pretty disappointing for those guys already very high up on each points table and if they were not given the chance to play.
“There is just so many question marks over this year’s Ryder Cup and my big wish that it does go ahead even though there is just so many unknowns right now.”
Knox has entered the June 11th intended restart to the PGA Tour at the ‘no spectators’ Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas.
The Tour has advised players that everyone attending the event players, family, caddies, managers and also including the media, will be tested for the COVID-19 virus before allowed entry.
MEANTIME –
Knox spoken of his disappointment, and like all other Tour members, in reading a recent email from Tour CEO Keith Pelley speaking of ‘drastic changes’ ahead for professional golf’s second biggest tour.
Knox said: “It’s a shame and it’s difficult as clearly every company, and not just those involved in golf, in the whole world has been affected but this pandemic.
“The European Tour is a worldwide tour and let’s be honest, it’s not a Europe only tour and because of the travel … it’s hard and it’s going to be difficult for not only the PGA Tour but it will be harder for the European Tour.
“I just hope this crisis is resolved asap so that the European Tour is not massively, negatively affected and get up and going again.
“Over the past few years, Keith Pelley and his team have done a fantastic job not only with the hosting of the Rolex Series but they’ve done so much good work but at this time of global uncertainty, they’re getting pounded.
