• Ryder Cup

Donald calls for Ryder Cup rethink after 'crazy' selection

Luke Donald feels sympathy for Paul Casey © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Donald expected Casey to steal his Ryder Cup spot
  
• News: Poulter feels Casey's and Rose's pain
  
• News: Tearful Casey wishes Ryder Cup team well
  
• News: E. Molinari handed Ryder Cup wildcard, Casey left out
  
• Profile: Paul Casey | Luke Donald

Luke Donald has called for a rethink of the Ryder Cup qualification process after labelling the 2010 European team "one of the craziest selections ever".

European captain Colin Montgomerie chose Donald, Padraig Harrington and Edoardo Molinari as his three wildcard picks, meaning that world No. 8 Paul Casey surprisingly missed out on a place.

Casey would have improved his chances of playing at Celtic Manor in October by taking part in more European Tour events, which would have offered him the opportunity to sneak into the automatic qualification spots.

Instead, he chose to focus on competing in the PGA Tour - a decision that attracted criticism last week when he missed the final Ryder Cup qualification event at Gleneagles, which was won by Molinari, in order to play at The Barclays in America.

But Donald has sympathy with Casey, who has played at three Ryder Cups, and feels that he should not be penalised for deciding to "test himself against the world's best".

"It's probably one of the craziest selections for a Ryder Cup ever," he said. "Guys in the top ten didn't know if they were going to be playing. Our team has to look harder at the qualification system.

"Golf is becoming a world game and I understand they want to protect the European Tour but at the same time, the top guys are going to want to play against the best players in the world no matter what. And they shouldn't be penalised for that.

"I felt bad for the guys who didn't make it. I think especially for Paul. He's No. 8 in the world, finished second at the Open, nearly top ten at the US PGA … to see him left off the team, it was disappointing.

"Perhaps the European Tour have to look at the selection process. I know if Europe win, it's very beneficial for the European Tour both in image and financially. So I think it's in their best interests that they have the best players on the team."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.