Europe given additional Ryder Cup wildcard selection

Europe captain Colin Montgomerie will have an additional wildcard selection for the 2010 Ryder Cup encounter at The Celtic Manor Resort.

The European Tour committee decided that qualifiers would be the leading four players from The Ryder Cup World Points List and the leading five players, not otherwise qualified (having selected the four players from The Ryder Cup World Points List) from The Ryder Cup European Points List.

Those nine players will be joined by three captain’s picks to make up the 12-man team to take on the USA over The Twenty Ten Course, and despite hoping for four wildcards Montgomerie was pleased with the outcome.

"It just gives the captain one more option whether I use that option or not if you like," Montgomerie said. "But options are great in life and to have one more is super."

England’s Ian Poulter and Paul Casey were Nick Faldo’s wildcards last September, the former returning home as Europe’s top points-scorer.  

Montgomerie, who will be the first European captain to have three wildcards since Bernard Gallacher in 1993, is bidding to wrestle the Cup back from Corey Pavin’s men after Valhalla’s 16½-11½ defeat.

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