segunda-feira, 27 de agosto de 2012

Ian Poulter and Nicolas Colsaerts are Ryder Cup wildcards

Ian Poulter


Ian Poulter and Nicolas Colsaerts have received the two wildcard picks as captain Jose Maria Olazabal completed his 2012 European Ryder Cup side.
England's Poulter, 36, will be winning his fourth cap, while Belgian Colsaerts, 29, will make his debut in Medinah, Chicago from 28-30 September.
Colsaerts was on the Challenge Tour - Europe's second tier event - in 2009.
"I am living proof if you want something badly, put the work in and have passion, it can happen," he said."It has been a fairy story. It is something I have wanted since I was a little kid.
"To be part of such a big team for a captain with such good history is something I'm very proud of."
The players who made the team by topping the rankings after Sunday's Johnnie Walker Championship are Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Graeme McDowell, Paul Lawrie, Francesco Molinari, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Sergio Garcia, Peter Hanson and Martin Kaymer.
US-based Poulter, who struggled with pneumonia earlier this season, has built a reputation as a fearsome matchplay exponent. He was the highest points scorer for either side when selected as a wildcard for the 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla and won three points out of four in Europe's 14½-13½ win at Celtic Manor two years ago.
He said: "I'm thrilled. To get the call last night from Jose was a great moment. I want to pour some passion over the 18 holes at Medinah like I know best."
                      Poulter, who made the first of his three previous appearances in the biennial event in 2004, could have overhauled the Germany's former world number one Kaymer with a 35th-place finish in Scotland, but opted to stay in America.
Colsaerts, who won the World Match Play Championship in May, could also have sealed an automatic place with a top-two finish at Gleneagles, but his share of 19th meant the out-of-form Kaymer held on to the final qualification place, despite also opting to miss the event.
Captain Olazabal explained Colsaerts, the longest hitter on the European Tour, won him over by showing his desire to play in the Ryder Cup.
"The guy has shown a lot of heart and a lot of character," he said. "The Ryder Cup is difficult but I think he has the game.
"It is a long course and I think he can take advantage of that."
Colsaerts will become the first Belgian to compete in the Ryder Cup and will also be the only rookie in this year's side, compared to the six that played in Wales.
Padraig Harrington, a six-time Ryder Cup veteran, was also in contention for a wildcard but failed to persuade Olazabal to hand him a place on the team.
                       "He was 19th on the list of players and that was a little bit too far down," he said. "He took it well."
The 10 automatic choices were made up of the top five from a list based on ranking points won in European Tour events, followed by the next five best on the world rankings.
Olazabal, who played in seven Ryder Cups from 1987-2006 and was a key partner of the late Seve Ballesteros, will have four vice-captains to assist him in Chicago.
Eight players have already qualified for the US team: Tiger Woods, Bubba Watson, Jason Dufner, Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar and Phil Mickelson.
US captain Davis Love names his four wildcard choices on 4 September after the first two events of the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup play-offs.
The 2012 Ryder Cup will take place from 28-30 September at Medinah Country Club in Illinois. Europe have beaten the United States in four of the last five competitions.

Source: British Broadcasting Corporation

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