The big news this week was the US Open. The event was finally won by the young Australian Geoff Ogilvy. It was a victory reported as having been lost by some of the major potential Ryder Cup stars such as Mickelson, Montgomerie, Furyk or Harrington as much as won by Ogilvy.
For the European team Harrington’s performance seemed to be back on track and even heading for victory until the final three holes which he bogeyed. However the fifth place result sees him making the automatic qualification list for the first time. Montgomerie once again just missed his chance to lift a major but his tied second place has further secured his Ryder Cup spot.
However if Harrington does fail to qualify for the European Ryder Cup team he may play for the US Ryder Cup team instead! Tom Lehman (the US Ryder Cup Team Captain) has commented how it would be difficult not to pick a player of the calibre of Harrington. Harrington duly replied with a how he could apply for US Citizenship right now!
Lehman also voiced his support for the new US qualification system. As it currently stands the US Ryder Cup points list is very much rewarding those players who are consistently performing week in/week out which has led to a lot of new faces on the list such as Zach Johnson, Brett Wetterich, Vaughn Taylor and Lucas Glover.
There’s been a lot of movement this week on the Ryder Cup points and as European Vice Captain Ian Baker said this week (link expired) while competing at the St. Omer Open “…I am sure the team as it is now will change and change again, so it is just a case of waiting to see what will happen and who fills the places.”
Back in Ireland the focus moved to the actual Ryder Cup Trophy this week which did a tour of the country enabling fans to see the cup and get their picture taken with the solid gold trophy. Finally looking even further ahead Nick Faldo, the European Ryder Cup Captain 2008, has decided on one of his vice-captains – he’s just not saying.
