Donald holds out Ryder hope
Colin Montgomerie may be the focus of attention in the battle for a Ryder Cup wildcard but Luke Donald has not given up hope of claiming one as well.
Montgomerie is favourite to be handed one of the two spots available to captain Bernhard Langer given his superb cup record, including winning two-and-a-half points out of three with Langer at The Belfry in 2002.
But the race for the other wild card is wide open and Donald is a serious contender given his experience of playing on the US Tour and superb record in the Walker Cup, where he won seven of his eight matches in Britain and Ireland’s victories in 1999 and 2001.
“I am going to have to play very well to make it automatically but if I keep playing solid golf, here and at the USPGA, then I have an outside chance of being picked as a wild card,” Donald said after a first-round 69 at the Scandinavian Masters.
“I have not heard too many things about who is going to get it but if Monty gets one there is still one left.
“I would hope my experience will be a factor. I have had a good year and been playing well on those kind of courses (the Ryder Cup will be played at Oakland Hills) and I am used to that kind of golf so I have that going for me, but I am going to have to play very well up until selection.
“I have not seen Bernhard for a while. Last time I talked to him was on the phone two or three months ago and we were talking about whether I was going to rejoin the tour.”
That was a reference to the situation earlier this season when Donald and other US-based players were asked to commit themselves to playing 11 European Tour events in order to be eligible for the Ryder Cup.
Donald, who currently lies 14th in the world points list from which the top five qualify for the team, explained: “I resigned my membership the week of the Volvo PGA Championship and after that it came to my attention that they (the European Tour) were willing to forego the 11th event if I did not make the Ryder Cup.
“If I make the Ryder Cup, I still have to play 11 events in Europe which is fine. If I don’t, then I don’t have to play the full 11 which makes it a lot easier for me. So I am now a European Tour member and I have every chance to make the team. If I do, great.”
Without that agreement, Donald would have been subject to a possible suspension from the European Tour for up to two years if he had failed to play the 11 events.
The 26-year-old from High Wycombe, who came close to his second PGA Tour victory at the Buick Invitational this year when he lost to John Daly in a play-off, is keen to move from 63rd in the world rankings into the top 50 to be eligible for all four majors and three World Golf Championship events.
They all count towards the 11 needed for tour membership and would make life so much easier.
“Rules are rules,” added Donald, who began today’s second round at Barseback two behind fellow Englishman and cup hopeful David Howell and Sweden’s Johan Edfors.
“I am always going to abide by the rules, whether I think they are right it does not matter. At one point I was not even close to the top 50 in the world and it is hard to play two tours unless you are in the top 50.”
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