Toughest decisions remain for Ryder Cup showdown

The Scot yesterday named Tour and Ryder Cup stalwarts Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjorn as his on-course lieutenants for the match at Celtic Manor, Wales, on October 1-3.

The three have all played with Montgomerie on winning Ryder Cup teams and his decision to employ a healthy contingent of current players is a return to the successful policies of previous captains Sam Torrance, Bernhard Langer and Ian Woosnam, following Nick Faldo's flawed decision to take just Jose Maria Olazabal in 2008.

Olazabal's omission this time reflects his recent inactivity due to a lack of fitness, not any feeling that he was culpable for Europe's defeat at Valhalla two years ago.

But as Europe look to wrest the Ryder Cup back from America's grasp, Montgomerie's greatest challenge is fitting so much European talent into a 12-man team.

Having afforded himself three wildcard picks as opposed to the traditional two he has at least bought himself some wiggle room, but a quick glance at the current standings shows the strength in depth of a continent that is now producing regular winners on both sides of the Atlantic.

Indeed, nine of the world's top 20 are European but only six of those occupy the nine places available through qualifying via the world and European points lists, with a little over a month to go.

Franceso Molinari ranked No 36, Miguel Angel Jimenez (37) and Ross McGowan (90) presently fill out the final three places in the European points list.

Breathing down their necks are world No 8 Paul Casey, who was third at the Open last weekend, three-time major winner and world No 17 Padraig Harrington, and the man who is one place below him and has two wins in America to his name already this summer, Justin Rose.

Those three would be ideal wildcards, until one considers the case for Sergio Garcia – one of Europe's finest Ryder Cup players over the last decade – Robert Karlsson, Henrik Stenson and Ross Fisher among others.

Yorkshire's Simon Dyson can still play his way into the reckoning with a victory or two over the final six tournaments before the nine qualifiers are decided on the culmination of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles on August 29.

Much then for Montgomerie to ponder.

"I'm hoping for certain players to perform to allow me not to have to pick them as wildcards," he said yesterday.

One man hoping he can still force his way into the reckoning is Clarke, who produced one of the Ryder Cup's most memorable moments four years ago when he won all his matches in his native Ireland, just three weeks after the death of his wife Heather.

"I will play if I qualify," said Clarke, who two weeks ago finished second at the Scottish Open and stands 21st in the race for the nine automatic places. Bjorn is 55th and McGinley 83rd.

"I think Monty will want me to if I do. I think Thomas and Paul will too. There's no question about that.

"If I do play well in the events I have left I possibly could give him a bigger headache. We shall see.

"We spoke at length about it and Monty said that he wants me there one way or the other.

"Right now as it stands I'm outside the team and I'm delighted to be part of his backroom staff."

Clarke does not hide the fact that he would be honoured to be a future captain, but says that had nothing to do with coming on board and advancing his claims now.

"That was not one of my thoughts at all in saying 'yes'. This is not about that – this is about me helping Monty, the other vice-captains and the team the best I can," he said.

"The Ryder Cup is very special to all of us. Whatever the three of us can do to help Monty in that quest to hold the trophy on Sunday afternoon at Celtic Manor with his team, we will do whatever we have to do.

"The way that it's shaping up at the moment, we look as if we have got a fantastic team. But Ryder Cups always throw up a surprise.

"Things happen that you don't expect and even though we are going to go into it as probable favourites there will be no complacency whatsoever."

Like Clarke, McGinley and Bjorn bring a rich Ryder Cup pedigree to the backroom staff and will be valuable assets on the course.

Bjorn won in Portugal last month and McGinley sunk the winning putt at the Belfry in 2002.

Montgomerie said: "Any team, any winning team, has fantastic support behind the scenes and my three vice-captains are very experienced, very passionate, very well-respected and committed to regaining the Ryder Cup.

"The four of us have huge respect from the players that will be in the team.

"I think this is the strongest team that we have assembled on and off the course.

"It is the strongest team in terms of making decisions.

"The four of us will be making the decisions, not just me."

Montgomerie's opposite number Corey Pavin has gone for four assistants in 2006 US captain Tom Lehman, Davis Love and two players who have no Ryder Cup experience, Jeff Sluman and Paul Goydos.