Ryder Cup - Wildcard Picks

Woodgate · 31-08-2014 05:31PM

Gallagher
Poulter

Then it's a tough one as Donald & Westwood have bee poor this year, with Westwood being possibly the better of the two, but his putting is so poor. Possibly Molinari might come into the equation. So, I know I'm probably wrong but I'll say third pick will be.....

Westwood

Rikand · 31-08-2014 05:43PM

Westwood not playing italy this week makes me think hes been told he'll be picked.

I hope gallagher poulter donald

I reckon gallagher poulter Westwood

SaveOurLyric · 31-08-2014 05:46PM

Woodgate wrote: »

So, I know I'm probably wrong but I'll say third pick will be.....

Westwood

God, I hope you are wrong. Westy would be a liability.
Donald or Molinari both have cases. West has none. You may as well say pick Faldo and Olazabal.

Mushy · 31-08-2014 05:59PM

Were wildcards a few years not done on day of last counting competition? I want to find out now!

syngindub · 31-08-2014 07:51PM

looks a certain Gallacher & poulter , now we need McGinley to show his biased side and pick Lowrey

First Up · 31-08-2014 09:04PM

syngindub wrote: »

looks a certain Gallacher & poulter , now we need McGinley to show his biased side and pick Lowrey

Funny

First Up · 31-08-2014 09:04PM

syngindub wrote: »

looks a certain Gallacher & poulter , now we need McGinley to show his biased side and pick Lowrey

Funny

NaiveMelodies · 31-08-2014 10:01PM

No no. Surely Langer will be picked as some geniuses suggested.

Gallacher, Poulter, Langer.

Rikand · 31-08-2014 10:19PM

Mushy wrote: »

Were wildcards a few years not done on day of last counting competition? I want to find out now!

They were. But Tuesday is a typically boring day in the sporting world so they've pushed it back to then for a bit of media drama and excitement

vienne86 · 31-08-2014 10:20PM

only1stevo wrote: »

No no. Surely Langer will be picked as some geniuses suggested.

Gallacher, Poulter, Langer.

Roll on Tuesday! We can then stop reading some silly speculative posts!

Mushy · 31-08-2014 10:27PM

Rikand wrote: »

They were. But Tuesday is a typically boring day in the sporting world so they've pushed it back to then for a bit of media drama and excitement

Sounds good, ramp up the excitement.

vienne86 wrote: »

Roll on Tuesday! We can then stop reading some silly speculative posts!

Bar the speculation regarding who will play with who, who we would want to see European lads come up against, how much whichever team are gonna win by. The silliness is about to begin.

slave1 · 31-08-2014 10:31PM

PGA event runs into Monday due to Labour Day so I'd say that's also a reason e.g. Poulter wins, he's in.

I think folk are being pretty harsh on Westy, he has a better record than Poults and Donald in the majors this year and his putting has not been that bad at all, he also has a quite decent number of worldwide victories and a lot of RC experience.

I'm assuming Gallagher gets his pick and really any two of the obvious three will do fine. It's tight between Luke and Westy, that's the way I see it.

First Up · 31-08-2014 10:36PM

slave1 wrote: »

PGA event runs into Monday due to Labour Day so I'd say that's also a reason e.g. Poulter wins, he's in.

I think folk are being pretty harsh on Westy, he has a better record than Poults and Donald in the majors this year and his putting has not been that bad at all, he also has a quite decent number of worldwide victories and a lot of RC experience.

I'm assuming Gallagher gets his pick and really any two of the obvious three will do fine. It's tight between Luke and Westy, that's the way I see it.

Inclined to agree. Not picking Gallacher would be an outrage. I'd go for Poulter
and Donald but Westwood has delivered many times.
Form has to count though

billy3sheets · 31-08-2014 10:38PM

Gallagher
Poulter
Luiten

First Up · 31-08-2014 10:55PM

billy3sheets wrote: »

Gallagher
Poulter
Luiten

We are all buying into the assumption that Poulter is a cert. I would probably pick him but listening to McGinley today, I wouldn't call it a done deal.

arkslippy123 · 31-08-2014 11:33PM

He should pick gallacher, apart from his determination to qualify, hes a Scot and that is worth a vote for home support. ID also go for Westwood and poulter. Hard on molinari though. Very strong team either way.

Slicemeister · 31-08-2014 11:45PM

Poulter's form and especially today hasn't been any way great. the pressure he showed himself to be under on the course suggests he hasn't gotten any phone call from McGinley either. Unfortunately for the likes of Molinari,I think he's gonna get the nod along with Westwood and Donald.

McGinley has too put too many man-hours in with the above three in Ryder Cups not to pick them imo.

baboo800 · 01-09-2014 12:38AM

I am changing to Gallagher, Poulter and Luiten.

LinksLad · 01-09-2014 02:49AM

vienne86 wrote: »

Roll on Tuesday! We can then stop reading some silly speculative posts!

That's pure speculation!

ionadnapóca · 01-09-2014 09:48AM

Poulter, Donald and it surely now has to be Gallacher (Pros: Scottish. lives 35 miles away from Gleneagles. lost in playoff there at the Johnnie Walker Championship in August last year. Recent form. Cons: Rookie)
Donald and Garcia will be paired up again for the foursomes. Poulter likewise, he looks like a strong contender to partner Rose again. I cant see McGinley putting all the spotlight on McIlroy and McDowell in the opening foursomes, when he can go with two other tried and tested pairs in Rose / Poulter and Garcia / Donald.

Friday. Foursomes: Rose / Poulter, McIlroy / Donaldson, Garcia / Donald, McDowell / Dubuisson.
Four-ball: Gallacher – Kaymer, McIlroy – Poulter, Stenson – Bjorn, Garcia – Donald.

Saturday: Foursomes -Rose / Poulter, McIlroy / McDowell, Kaymer / Stenson, Garcia / Donald.
Four-ball: Gallacher - Donaldson, Bjorn – Stenson, McIlroy – Dubuisson, McDowell – Rose.

This would leave only McIlroy having played 4 matches. Stenson, McDowell, Garcia, Donald and Poulter having played 3. And everybody else having played twice. Can’t see the other wild card options: Gallacher, Westwood, Molinari, Luiten etc appearing in the Foursomes. Assuming McGinley will go with having played everybody at least twice prior to the singles, again I can’t see “an ideal player” from the wild card options for the Four-ball’s pairings. Molinari, and of course Westwood have previous experience over Gallacher in RC four-ball’s, but I reckon McGinley will go with the form player and local favourite.

ionadnapóca · 01-09-2014 02:30PM

More Pro's for a Gallacher wild card:
In his 14 career starts at the Johnnie Walker Championship Gallacher has made the cut 11 times & recorded seven top-10's. In his last three visits he has finished tied 6th in 2011 and 2012 and tied second in 2013.

Since 2010 Gallacher has been in the top-6 in driving distance on the PGA Centenary Course. He has averaged below 28 putts per round twice in his last four Gleneagles starts including a best of 27.5 putts needed per round in 2012.

http://www.golfcentraldaily.com/2014/09/what-made-up-mcginleys-mind-stephen.html

Speak Now · 01-09-2014 03:00PM

Gallacher and Poulter are surely certs.

No strong candidate for the 3rd spot really, would like to see either Luiten or Molinari get it but I guess McGinley will pick between Donald and Westwood.

Its a pity The Mechanic's form tailed off after winning the Spanish open, he ended up 13th on both list even after the loss of form. Would have loved to see him get the nod. If Donald gets picked Miguel would be the highest ranked European not playing!

Rikand · 01-09-2014 03:01PM

Somebody email those stats to McGinley. QUICK!

vienne86 · 02-09-2014 08:21AM

Not long to wait now, but dammit, I might be out at 1230.....that's 1330 here. I'll still go with Gallacher, Donald and Poulter.

vienne86 · 02-09-2014 08:43AM

Greg Allen on RTE thinks Westwood will get the nod over Donald - presence in the team room, versus Donald being in the proess of changing his swing.....dunno about that. I think Donald is playing better than Westwood.

Rikand · 02-09-2014 09:05AM

vienne86 wrote: »

presence in the team room

everyone looking at him wondering will he be left with a 3 foot putt to win the ryder cup....

vienne86 · 02-09-2014 09:13AM

Rikand wrote: »

everyone looking at him wondering will he be left with a 3 foot putt to win the ryder cup....

My sentiments entirely. I wouldn't have him near the team this time round.

ionadnapóca · 02-09-2014 10:54AM

Just when I thought I was 100% sure it was going to be Poulter, Doanld and Gallacher, I started to look at the putting stats.

Westwood:
Putting from Inside 5' 2014: 94.16% 178th 2012: 95.60% 146th
Putting from 5-10' 2014: 58.82% 39th 2012: 47.13% 190th
Putting from - 10-15' 2014: 35.78% 10th 2012: 35.07% 20th

Donald:
Putting from Inside 5' 2014: 97.90% 5th 2012: 97.87% 7th
Putting from 5-10' 2014: 63.31% 2nd 2012: 62.90% 5th
Putting from - 10-15' 2014: 29.63% 104th 2012: 38.26% 2nd

Poulter:
Putting from Inside 5' 2014: 96.13% 119th 2012: 98.34% 4th
Putting from 5-10' 2014: 60.69% 15th 2012: 56.33% 86th
Putting from - 10-15' 2014: 25.53% 159th 2012: 23.58% 183rd

From the above, in fairness to Westwood, he has actually dramatically improved his putting from 5-10 ft this year. And Donald has had an equally dramatic slump this year from 10-15 feet. Poulter putting stats make for interesting reading also. Just like Westwood he has improved from 5-10 feet. But from inside 5 feet he is considerably worse than in 2012. He is of course still much better than Westwood at those putts.

With Westwood now the best putter of the three this year from 10-15 ft! If Westwood gets the pick Its his improved putting, strong showing in the Masters and PGA Championship and of course his RC experience that will sway it.

I still think it will be Poulter, Doanld and Gallacher. But only if McGinley is planning to go with both Donald (Garcia / Donald), and Poulter (Rose / Poulter) in foresome’s. If not, Westwood will prob get the nod over Donald.

ionadnapóca · 02-09-2014 11:18AM

just checked the odds there. it looks like Westwood is going to be picked ahead of Donald.

stooge · 02-09-2014 11:19AM

westwood Gallagher and Poulter. with Donald missing out due to form and swing change. Poulter in there for the fear factor, Gallagher for the scots factor and Westwood for the...... fat factor

Ryder Cup - Wildcard Picks

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