European Ryder Cup captain, Jose Maria Olazabal must surely be asking the question on the lips of many Ryder Cup observers – why didn’t Carl Pettersson join the European Tour and thus make himself available for Ryder Cup selection?

Less than a week after putting himself into contention to capture the PGA Championship and the North Carolina based Pettersson shot an opening round eight under par 62 to race to the lead midway through the opening day of the Wyndham Championship.

Carl Pettersson continues to flag his potential but won't get to play under the European flag at Medinah. (Photo - Eoin Clarke/www.golffile.ie)

Pettersson’s impressive 2012 season continues after starting the new season at 110th on the World Rankings.

Since the opening event of the PGA season Pettersson has captured the RBC Heritage Classic and also finished runner-up in the Sony Open and Shell Houston Open plus he was 1oth in the Players Championship.

The dual Swedish and USA citizen is currently lying ninth on the FedEx Cup Series and ahead of five European set to automatically qualify for the Ryder Cup.

They include Justin Rose (12th in the FedEx Cup), Luke Donald (16th), Graeme McDowell (27th), Lee Westwood (46) and Ian Poulter (49th).

Unfortunately Pettersson, and unlike fellow Europeans Martin Laird and Freddie Jacobsson, did not take out European Tour membership and thus has ruled him out of Ryder Cup selection.

However for the meantime Pettersson is focussed on sealing a second victory this year, and on a course where he won in 2009.

“I just started off the round good with two birdies in the first three holes and got me kind of straight back into the score mode from last week and I wasn’t sure, sometimes after a great week you sometimes feel a little bit flat the next week but I think it helped getting off to such a good start and I played solid,” he said to journalists present at the event.

“I think this game is very streaky.  We get on a good run you got to keep going and seems like when you’re playing well you never think you’re going to play bad.

“When you’re playing bad you never think you’re going to play well.

“So once you get on a streak you got to take advantage of it and, you know, put the pedal down and go for it.

“Also this golf course is close to my home.

“I’ve lived here since high school and I just like it.  It fits my eye very good off the tee.  Every tee shot I stand on, every tee box and feel comfortable.  I seem to read the greens really well and I think that’s the key, hitting the fairways and making some putts.”

And Pettersson reflected back to last week’s PGA Championship where he quickly fell from fighting Rory McIlroy for Kiawah Island glory by having to accept a two-shot penalty for moving a loose impediment while playing a shot from a lateral hazard at the very first hole on the final day.

“I was bit annoyed that night but nothing I could do about it,” he said.

“It sure would have been nice if I finished 2nd but Rory played phenomenal.  I played to win but Rory played great.  It’s tough to beat a guy that has a 3 shot lead and shoots what, 66? I’m over it.  It’s fine.  It’s gone.  It’s over and done with.  Nothing I can do about it.”