Wildcard decision becomes clearer for Lehman
It is decision-time for Tom Lehman this weekend as he weighs up his Ryder Cup wildcard options.
But having failed to make the halfway cut in the US PGA championship in Chicago Lehman can at least stop thinking about whether to be a playing-captain of the American side.
Only if he had qualified in the top 10 was Lehman likely even to consider doubling up at the K Club next month, but he is able to finish 19th at best now in the two-year points race.
Lehman, who would have been seventh if he had won rather than lost a play-off last Sunday in Colorado, admitted on Wednesday that he “didn’t have a clue” who his two picks would be.
But things are a little clearer now. John Rollins (11th), Fred Couples (16th), Tom Pernice (18th) and Scott Verplank (20th) all made early exits from the final major of the season as well and almost certainly will be crossed off Lehman’s list.
Vaughn Taylor, Zach Johnson and Brett Wetterich – respectively seventh, ninth and 10th in the table – failed to survive the cut as well and face an anxious two days waiting to see if they are bumped out of an automatic spot.
Under the American system all their pursuers have to finish in the tournament top 10 to earn points, with Tim Herron and Billy Andrade – currently 17th and 33rd – joint leaders at Medinah, while Davis Love (15th) is only one behind and Billy Mayfair, remarkably playing just two weeks after surgery for testicular cancer, is only three back.
Couples would be a popular wildcard choice, of course, but since he has not had a top-10 finish since being joint third in the Masters in April and has had some more back trouble in between it will be a massive shock if Lehman goes for him.
If the top 10 in the table stay the same expect Love and Stewart Cink to be selected.
Meanwhile, Lehman has arranged for a charter flight to Ireland for his team next Sunday night.
It will leave after the world championship in Ohio and return two days later.
“The goal is to take care of a lot of things, instead of figuring it out at the Ryder Cup,” said Lehman.
The only players who might not make the trip are Tiger Woods, who has played the K Club on previous trips to Ireland, and Phil Mickelson.
