Swedes make Ryder Cup push
Ireland’s Ryder Cup hopefuls did little to boost their chances this weekend as Swedish duo Robert Karlsson and Carl Pettersson have put themselves right in the mix with wins at the Wales Open and Memorial Tournament respectively.
Karlsson would automatically qualify as it stands while Pettersson has shot up to eight in the World Points List.
Paul Broadhurst boosted his chances of a second Ryder Cup appearance 15 years after his first with a birdie on the 18th at the Wales Open to claim outright second on 13-under, with Portugal’s Jose-Filipe Lima in third and Colin Montgomerie in fourth another stroke adrift.
With Darren Clarke and Pádraig Harrington resting at the weekend there was little movement among the Irish contenders.
Paul McGinley, who is just back from a knee operation, missed the cut in Wales. Graeme McDowell showed some improvement in form to finish tied for 16th there, but it is not nearly enough to put him in contention for the Europe team.
Latest leading places in the European Ryder Cup tables after the Wales Open (capitals indicate players currently in qualifying positions)
(Five players qualify off world ranking table, next five off European points table. Captain Ian Woosnam then adds two wild cards)
World points:
1 DAVID HOWELL 190.20
2 HENRIK STENSON 188.25
3 JOSE MARIA OLAZABAL 187.86
4 SERGIO GARCIA 151.70
5 COLIN MONTGOMERIE 145.03
6 Luke Donald 134.80
7 Paul Casey 127.54
8 Carl Pettersson 123.29
9 Paul Broadhurst 115.52
10 Darren Clarke 105.51
European points:
1 David Howell 2,168,102
2 Colin Montgomerie 1,796,991
3 Henrik Stenson 1,625,571
4 Sergio Garcia 1,254,249
5 PAUL CASEY 1,235,784
6 PAUL McGINLEY 1,228,273
7 PAUL BROADHURST 1,217,117
8 Jose Maria Olazabal 1,215,578
9 ROBERT KARLSSON 915,519
10 NICK DOUGHERTY 899,272
Ryder Cup Points US:
1 Tiger Woods 2930.00pts,
2 Phil Mickelson 2154.38,
3 Jim Furyk 1206.00,
4 Chad Campbell 1129.60,
5 David Toms 1072.25,
6 Zach Johnson 756.48,
7 Brett Wetterich 746.00,
8 Vaughn Taylor 660.83,
9 Lucas Glover 641.38,
10 Davis Love III 631.88,
11 Fred Couples 627.73,
12 Tim Herron 621.67
