Ryder Cup: Mixed feelings for the rookies

There are several Europeans to have a very good 2020 season and yet their results will not be counted for the next Ryder Cup. This has been postponed to September 2021 due to the coronavirus. Captain Padraig Harrington will have to choose at the end of August of the same year, his 4 best players in the European ranking and his 5 best in the world ranking. The Irishman will also have 3 wild cards to hand out. A godsend for Frenchman Victor Perez who has played very little in Europe this year and whose world ranking is not yet good enough to be directly selected. On the other hand, some rookies can bite their fingers.

Sam Horsfield can cry

At 23, Sam Horsfield is certainly in the best period of his young career. The Englishman has just won 2 of the last 3 tournaments of the European Tour during the Hero Open and Celtic Classic. He is now 7th in Race to Dubai and 3rd in Europe behind his compatriots Lee Westwood and Paul Casey. Captain Padraig Harrington should have pronounced his roster within two weeks if this 43rd edition of the Ryder Cup had not been postponed. Certainly jaded about the postponement of the competition, the Manchester native will have to repeat at least the same performances from January if he wants to be able to tread the fairways of Whistling Straits (Wisconsin) next year.

Hojgaard and Perez can smile

At 19, Rasmus Hojgaard is having an exceptional season for the moment. In his first year on the European Tour, the Dane won a tournament and finished on the podium twice. He is currently 10th in Race to Dubai and 6th European player. Despite these good performances, the teenager still missed 13 cuts in 19 appearances. The postponement of this Ryder Cup will allow him to refine his apprenticeship in the professional world and who knows, maybe go titillate the best next year for a place in the European team. Like the Dane, Victor Perez can be happy about this change of date. 50th world, the Frenchman is not yet ranked well enough to be directly in the team. 15th in Race to Dubai and 10th European player, he has scored just 127 points since returning to competition in the United States (WGC St Jude, USPGA). Too little to get a place in the team of the winner of the British Open 2007 and 2008. In any case, they know what to expect, there are only 12 places, and neither Rory McIlroy, nor Jon Rahm won't give in to them.