[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Monty does it again – who is teaching this guy good PR habits (and how long will it last)?
Faced with an impossible task of picking three wild cards for the European Ryder Cup team that will satisfy all observers of golf’s greatest gladiatorial challenge, he suddenly becomes Mr Europe – the diplomat ‘par excellence’.
Edoardo Molinari’s triumph at Gleneagles in the Johnny Walker Championship was of great assistance to Monty as it meant that he can field a double act of Italian Titans with the Molinari brothers teaming up to reprise their World Cup triumph. He had a similar outstanding ‘last ditch’ performance from Peter Hanson in winning the Czech Open to force his way into the team.
So why did he choose to omit Rose and Casey? Could it be because they are two Englishmen too many – surely not?
Well, he opted for Padraig Harrington whose Ryder Cup performances are pretty poor – but he is Irish. Tick another European country box.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]We now have England (Westwood, Poulter, Donald and Fisher); Northern Ireland (McDowell and McIlroy); Germany (Kaymer); Italy (the Molinaris); Sweden (Hanson); Spain (Jimenez) and Ireland (Harrington). Sticking with this, add the fact that he has vice captains who are from Northern Ireland (Clarke), Ireland (McGinley) and Denmark (Bjorn) and then he asks Sergio Garcia of Spain to become the fourth such office holder. And just to complete his set of UK countries he adds Rhys Davies of Wales as his personal driver for the Celtic Manor tournament – and Monty is Scots ……House!
It is hard not to think that someone bought him a European Atlas for his birthday, or that he has aspirations to create a new League of Nations. Whatever the reason, he has created a real trans-European set up.
The acid test is, of course, to see if they can beat our Transatlantic cousins, and it will be every interesting to see how Monty reacts, whether in adversity or triumph.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
