• Ryder Cup

Clarke sympathises with Pavin over tricky picks

European vice-captain Darren Clarke believes Tiger Woods' inclusion in the US Ryder Cup team was never in doubt, but admits that US captain Corey Pavin faced a difficult decision in leaving out Anthony Kim and Lucas Glover.

Having not won a title this year, Woods had to rely on a captain's pick to earn his place in the team, but Clarke believes Pavin had an agonising decision in opting for Stewart Cink, Zach Johnson and Rickie Fowler over the likes of Kim and Glover.

And just as Colin Montgomerie neglected Paul Casey and Justin Rose in favour of the in-form Edoardo Molinari and Ryder Cup veteran Padraig Harrington, Glover and Kim were left disappointed after failing to secure a wildcard selection.

"Tiger I think was always going to be a pick - it would be tough to be at Celtic Manor without Tiger, and he's starting to play a lot better," Clarke said on Sky Sports News.

"In Zach Johnson and Stewart Cink you have got two fantastic competitors, both Major winners, and Ricky Fowler, you have got a young exciting kid, obviously a great player.

"It was almost a scenario like we had - we had to leave some good players out and unfortunately for the likes of Anthony Kim and Lucas Glover they won't be there, which I'm sure they'll be disappointed in."

Although Harrington, like Woods, was forced to rely on a wildcard pick from Montgomerie, Clarke refused to draw comparisons between the pair.

"I think it's very difficult to compare Tiger and Padraig in the same sort of way," he said. "But Tiger hasn't been playing his best and Padraig hasn't quite been playing his best. When Tiger's on his game he is the best player in the world, and he has been playing a better game of late. I couldn't have imagined a US team without Tiger Woods in it."

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