It has been some Ryder Cup ride for Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen.

Olesen secured the eighth and final automatic qualification spot in the European team for the Ryder Cup in finishing in a share of 20th place at the Made In Denmark.

This was after England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick, who needed to win the event, ended in a share of seventh place and three shots shy of making the play-off and won by England’s Matthew Wallace with a birdie at the second extra hole.

The eight confirmed members on Thomas Bjorn’s team are:- Francesco Molinari, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm, Alex Noren and now the 28-year old Olesen.

Ryder Cup captain, Thomas Bjorn congratulates his fellow Dane Thorbjorn Olesen after confirmation of his place in the 2018 European Ryder Cup team (Photo – European Tour)

Olesen, who will be making his Ryder Cup debut, won this year’s Italian Open and enjoyed four other top-10s his previous nine events but it was his third place result in the recent PGA Championship that virtually wrapped-up his Versailles appearance

“I’ve watched the Ryder Cup since I was six or seven years old and it looks special. Two years ago I got a bit of the experience watching it all from Thomas’ buggy and I think that will help me a little bit.

“It’s going to be a great team and hopefully we can get the trophy back to Europe.”

Olesen’s place in the side means Bjorn now has four rookies in his team and with the certain assurance now he will go for experience when at 2pm UK time Wednesday he reveals his remaining four players to make-up his 12-man team.

Three of the four will be Ian Poulter, Paul Casey and Henrik Stenson and with the fourth a ‘flip of the coin’ between either Rafa Cabrera-Bello or fellow Spaniard Sergio Garcia.