Europe's Ryder Cup Team

European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie selected the final three members of his team yesterday. Let the questioning begin. Not like Monty is immune to a little controversy anyway.

No Justin Rose, a two-time winner on the PGA TOUR this year. Talk about stating your case. One of those wins was at The Memorial, Jack's tourney. Rose is an alternate in case of injury.

No Paul Casey, ranked #9 in the world and two-time runner-up at the Match Play. Casey has also previously won the World Match Play Championships in England. This one baffles me more than Rose though. Casey has been on three previous Ryder Cup teams and was in contention during the final round of this year's Open Championship before that championship changing shot on #12.

The competition will begin October 1 and be played at Celtic Manor in Wales.

Let's look at all the members for Team Europe.

Lee Westwood - Appearances: 7th; World Ranking: 3rd; Ryder Cup Record: 14-10-5
Westwood is currently nursing a calf injury that forced him to withdraw from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. If Westwood in unable to go, his spot will go to Rose. Westwood broke through on American soil this year by winning the St. Jude Classic. Almost always the bridesmaid in majors, Westwood is known as a grinder on the course.

Graeme McDowell - Appearances: 2nd; World Ranking: 14th; Ryder Cup Record: 2-1-1
McDowell won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach this year. McDowell may well feel at home at Celtic Manor as he won the Celtic Manor Wales Open two weeks before his run through Pebble Beach. McDowell has not played in a world rankings tournament since missing the cut at the PGA Championship.

Martin Kaymer - Appearances: 1st; World Ranking: 5th; Ryder Cup Record: none
Kaymer may be a Euro rookie, but winning the PGA Championship in a playoff against American Bubba Watson (ranked 25th) showed he can play on a big stage. Going into the final hole of the playoff, it was similar to a match play situation. Win the hole, win the Wanamaker. There's no bigger stage than the Ryder Cup and his nerves will once again be tested.

Ian Poulter - Appearances: 3rd; World Ranking: 12th; Ryder Cup Record: 5-2-0
Poulter was a captain's pick in 2008 and collected four points in those matches going 4-1 during the event at Valhalla. Nick Faldo was heavily scrutinized for selecting Poulter and Ian put those questioning Sir Nick in check having the best event of any European player.

Ross Fisher - Appearances: 1st; World Ranking: 26th; Ryder Cup Record: none
Fisher is another rookie for Europe. He has a win at the 3 Irish Open this year. Fisher's record at the majors this year isn't impressive with three missed cuts. He did manage a T37 at The Open Championship.

Francesco Molinari - Appearances: 1st; World Ranking: 35th; Ryder Cup Record: none
Yet another rookie for the Euros. Molinari hasn't won since 2006 (Telecom Italia Open), but he did manage a solo 2nd at the Alstom Open de France, his highest finish this year. He also teamed up with his brother, Edoardo (also on the team) to win the Omega Mission Hills World Cup.

Peter Hanson - Appearances: 1st; World Ranking: 40th; Ryder Cup Record: none
Hanson is lowest ranked player for Europe, but don't be fooled by that. The Swede made the cut in the three majors in which he played. What's even more impressive is that Hanson has failed to make only one cut this year (BMW International Open). Hanson has also claimed two wins on the European Tour this year (Open Cala Millor Mallorca and Czech Open).

Rory McIlroy - Appearances: 1st; World Ranking: 7th; Ryder Cup Record: none
America has already seen what the kid from Northern Ireland can do with a mind-blowing 62 during the final round of the Quail Hollow Championship. He's also had success in Europe and people tend to forget that he won the Dubai Desert Classic in 2009.

Miguel Angel Jimenez - Appearances: 4th; World Ranking: 38th; Ryder Cup Record: 2-7-3
I know Europe has some talented players, but I'd pay a lot to watch The Mechanic play. I simply love his course demeanor. And he can play some golf, too. Jimenez owns a pair of European Tour victories this year (Alstom Open de France and Omega Dubai Desert Classic). Who could ever forget his shot on the Road Hole (#17) at The Open Championship this year.

Padraig Harrington (captain's pick) - Appearances: 6th; World Ranking: 19th; Ryder Cup Record: 7-11-3
Harrington may be the most controversial of Monty's pick despite his world ranking of 19th. Paddy has not won since the 2009 Irish PGA Championship, but has managed to pick up his game a bit as of late. He finished 2nd at this year's 3 Irish Open and a T5 at The Travelers. It is hard to think about leaving a three-time major champ off the team.

Luke Donald (captain's pick) - Appearances: 3rd; World Ranking: 11th; Ryder Cup Record: 5-1-1
Kind of weird that Donald didn't make the team on points especially since he's #11 in the world. He took home top honors at the Madrid Masters this year to go along with a couple of third place finishes (Celtic Manor Wales Open and RBC Canadian Open) since his win. He, like Graeme McDowell, returns to a course where he had success this season.

Edoardo Molinari (captain's pick) - Appearances: 1st; World Ranking: 15th; Ryder Cup Record: none
Francesco's brother was pretty much a lock before pulling off an outstanding final round to win the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles yesterday. Monty himself said it was as good as it gets. The Masters provided the only major in which he did not make the cut. He was also a T4 at the Celtic Manor Wales Open.

Monty has 6 newcomers to the pressure packed stage of playing for a Ryder Cup (McIlroy, Hanson, the Molinari brothers, Fisher and Kaymer). It would have been difficult for Monty to explain to Edoardo Molinari why he wouldn't have made the cut, but leaving off Casey and Rose, both Ryder Cup veterans, may have been a bit wiser. Of those with experience, Jimenez has seen the least success. Plus, the loss of Westwood, if he's unable to go, would be a big hit to the hopes of Europe.

U.S. captain Corey Pavin will announce his four captain's picks on September 7th.

Reflecting on The Open Championship

McIlroy receives congrats from Lucas
Glover after Rory fires a 63.

Day 1

The biggest news from the opening round was the amazing 63 carded by Rory McIlroy. That was 2 strokes better than eventual champ Louis Oosthuizen. Another shocking development was John Daly. No, not because of his apparel, but because he fired a 6-under-par 66. All would agree that it was refreshing to see Daly go low.

And some felt the Same about Tiger as Woods took a 67 (-5) for his first round. The Old Course had to be taken today. Friday would produce a bizarre set of circumstances.

Really? Can it be?

Day 2

The biggest news from the second round was the catastrophic 80 carded by McIlroy. Well, the real news for the second round was the 1 hour, 6 minute wind delay. Balls were oscillating (how many times had you heard that word before this day?) in the fairways and on the greens. Really? A wind delay at The Open Championship? Really and those that were still playing paid a severe penalty (like McIlroy). Oosthuizen, Mark Calcavecchia, Rickie Fowler and Miguel Angel Jimenez managed to have their rounds completed by then and all shot 67. Oosthuizen stood at -12 and assumed the lead.

Don't try this at home.

Day 3

Everyone was waiting for Oosthuizen to wilt. It wouldn't happen on Saturday as he fired a 69 placing him (again) at the top of the leaderboard with a 15-under-par heading into the final round. McIlroy rebounded from his 80 to post a 69 and leaving him at -4. England's Paul Casey joined Oosthuizen in being double digits below par at -11 after he shot 67. That would set up Oosthuizen and Casey as the final game for Sunday. And they had the chance to run and hide from the rest of the field. Miguel Angel Jimenez provided the shot of the Open at the Road Hole. With his ball mere inches from the wall behind the green, Jimenez wedges his shot onto the green...by hitting his ball off the wall!

Casey looks for his line of sight after
driving his tee shot in the bushes at 12.

Day 4

Again, we wondered if Oosthuizen wilt under the pressure of winning a major. The first hole had Oosthuizen aiming for the middle of the green while Casey was well within birdie distance. One word would sum up Casey's putt...fail. But the tide would change on two holes. Following a bogey at #8, Oosthuizen drove the par-4 #9 green leaving him within eagle range, but it was a long putt of over 30 feet. Well, that didn't deter Louis as he drilled his putt into the heart of the hole. His fortunes would change for the better on #12. Pounding a drive to the middle of the fairway, Oosthuizen was only a wedge from the green. Maybe the pressure built on Casey as he aired his tee shot into the bushes and had to take an unplayable lie. Casey would claw his way for a triple bogey. Oosthuizen? He sent a wedge to about 18 feet from the hole and promptly drained his birdie putt. Game, set, match.

Can Louis avoid the "fluke" label?

Oosthuizen was deadly accurate from tee to green for all four days. His worst round, if he really had a worst round, was the 71 he shot in the final round. Considering the others had to go low and have Louis stumble on a hole or two, those chances were greatly diminished as the round played out. Tom Watson, Andy North and Paul Azinger all called Oosthuizen's performance "surgical". That might be understating how the South African played at the home of golf. This will serve as a tremendous boost in his confidence and I believe this is no fluke. This guy has game and all in golf should keep an eye on Oosthuizen.

He is very worthy of being called Champion Golfer of the Year.

The "Ol' Girl" will miss Watson, too.

Speaking of Watson, we may have seen him play his last round at St. Andrews. If this is Watson's final bow at The Old Course, we thank you, Tom. We thank you for all your great play and wonderful memories. You've handled yourself with amazing class and character. All the best for you on the Champions Tour.