Martin Kaymer’s victory at Whistling Straits ensured the European Ryder Cup Team will include two current Major Champions but the race to qualify is still wide open.
Kaymer sealed his place on Colin Montgomerie’s team by winning the season’s final major and the new US PGA Champion will join the US Open Champion, Graeme McDowell, at The Celtic Manor Resort, City of Newport, Wales, from October 1-3.
“I don’t know how big the pressure will be at The Ryder Cup but I imagine it will be like I faced in the play-off today and I handled that fantastic. I have played three play-offs on The European Tour and won two of them and I love going head to head with one other guy.
To play The Ryder Cup in my own continent in a few week’s time is something I am really looking forward to. There will be a lot of young guys on our team and that is exciting. It was my career goal to be at The Ryder Cup and with this win I have made it and I am looking forward to playing against the best players from America.”
But his win and other performances at Whistling Straits had significant implications to the shape of the team and there is everything to play for in the last two weeks of qualifying for a number of players.
Kaymer moved up to third in the World Points List, behind Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy with McDowell fourth, with Luke Donald dropping out of the four qualifying places from the World Points List.
With Kaymer moving over to the World Points List, the players on the European Points List moved up one with Jiménez climbing to eighth despite missing the cut, and Paul Casey forcing his way into the nine qualifying spots with a share of 12th at Whistling Straits.
Francesco Molinari consolidated his position with a share of 33rd and Ian Poulter and Ross Fisher are also looking in good shape heading into the last two weeks but for the likes of Simon Dyson, who tied 12th, Ross McGowan, Edoardo Molinari, Peter Hanson and others, the race is on heading to the Czech Open 2010.
