• Out of Bounds

No sympathy for big names

Paul Casey is reliant on his reputation winning him a spot in the Ryder Cup team © Getty Images

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Four into three does not go, as Paul Casey, Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald and Justin Rose will learn when Colin Montgomerie makes his captain's selections for the Europe Ryder Cup team and if one of them misses out, there will be no sympathy from Out of Bounds.

After Peter Hanson's win at the Czech Open, Casey joined Harrington, Donald and Rose on the outside looking in at the automatic Ryder Cup selections. There is still one qualifying event to play at the Johnnie Walker Championship, but the quartet will not be in action as they are chasing the $10 million prize that is on offer for winning the FedEx Cup - a four-tournament spectacular which gets underway with The Barclays on Sunday.

The decision to sit out the final chance to secure a spot in the Ryder Cup team is one for the players themselves, but it is a gamble and if for example Casey or Harrington were to miss out on a pick, they would have only themselves to blame.

Hanson's win at the Czech Open was his second of the season, backing up his win in the Calla Millor Open, and that is exactly two more than either Casey or Harrington have achieved. Rose and Donald have won on Tour this year, the latter in Europe at the Madrid Masters. There is no questioning the quality of Casey and Harrington and both would be tremendous assets to Europe's push to regain the Ryder Cup, but their failure to commit has left them relying on Monty to pick them and inwardly he is likely to be far from happy at some key men deciding to look elsewhere.

Two years ago, Montgomerie was vocal in his disapproval of Sir Nick Faldo's decision to select Casey and Ian Poulter ahead of some European Tour stalwarts and said at the start of this season that he wanted to see commitment from players on the fringe of the team.

"I want my wildcard picks to show their support for European golf," he said. "I would be surprised if I pick any player on the border of the team whom I ask to play at Gleneagles and they don't show up."

If that was meant to be a shot across the bows of Casey and co, it backfired as none of the quartet has made the trip to Scotland. The problem facing Monty is does he stick to his guns and opt for the likes of Edoardo Molinari, an obvious partner for his brother Francesco, and Robert Karlsson - or go for the proven quality of Casey, Harrington et al?

Montgomerie softened his stance with regard to demanding players commit to European Tour events when it became apparent that his pleas would fall on deaf ears. But it would be a remarkable snub to the European Tour and the players who show support for it were the Scot to plump for players who spend the majority of their time on US soil.

You do get the impression that despite all the posturing, Montgomerie will opt for the big-name, big-game experience of Casey, Harrington, Rose and Donald, but which three from four is another poser for the Ryder Cup captain.

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