Padraig Harrington has thrown the Ryder Cup ‘wildcard’ selection gauntlet right at the feet of European Captain Jose Maria Olazabal after muscling his way to the lead early on the opening day of the Barclays Championship in New York.

Harrington carded a first round seven under par 64 on the Bethpage Black course as he seeks the ‘extraordinary’ effort Olazabal sought from the triple Major Champion if he’s to be considered for a ‘wildcard’ pick.

Harrington, who is looking to end a four-year winless drought on the PGA Tour, birdied four holes in succession from his 11th and then two in a row from the 16th.

It is Harrington’s lowest opening score on the PGA Tour since a similar 64 in the 2010 Traveler’s Championship.

The Dubliner ended his round one stroke clear of American Nick Watney.

But while Harrington makes a last ditch effort in seeking to earn a seventh straight Ryder Cup cap his colleagues competing in this week’s Johnnie Walker Championship believe Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts is more deserving of joining England’s Ian Poulter as the two picks heading to Medinah later next month.

And in Colsaerts favour is his support for the European Tour including making the huge effort to tee up this week in Scotland after finishing seventh last week in the Wyndham Championship.

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