Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson have been given Ryder Cup wildcards by Europe team captain Thomas Bjorn.
They join automatic qualifiers Francesco Molinari, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Alex Noren and Thorbjorn Olesen for the three-day event which starts on 28 September at Le Golf National in Paris.
Defending champions the United States have not won in Europe since 1993. Their team comprises automatic qualifers Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and Webb Simpson, plus Jim Furyk’s captain’s picks Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Bryson DeChambeau, with his final pick being named on September 10, after the BMW Championship.
Poulter, 42, who has helped Europe win the event four times, but was injured and missed the 17-11 defeat in 2016, said: “I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it. This feels extra special to be part of and for Thomas to give me the call means absolutely everything.”
Garcia, the 2017 Masters champion, has played in eight Ryder Cups, winning five times. The 38-year-old Spaniard has struggled for form this year, missing the cut at all four majors and failing to qualify for the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup play-offs for the first time.
Speaking about his decision to pick Garcia, Bjorn said: “You have to look at Sergio in certain ways – he is the heartbeat of the team. It’s like a football team going without their captain. He makes everybody around him better. He is everything that the European Ryder Cup team is about.”
Casey became eligible for Ryder Cup selection again after ruling himself out in 2016 by declining to rejoin the European Tour. He missed out on a wildcard in 2010 despite being seventh in the world, but was part of victories in 2004 and 2006, before contributing just a half point at Valhalla 10 years ago.
“He’s really shown he’s missed this part of his life,” said Bjorn. “It was a no-brainer to bring him back. He brings world-class golf back to the team.”
Casey was delighted to be back in the Ryder Cup fold. He said: “I made this a very big goal. I rejoined the European Tour and I’m playing some of the best golf I’ve ever played. I’m so excited to get back to somewhere I feel like I belong.”
Swedish former Open champion Stenson has played in four Ryder Cups and holed the winning putt on his debut at The K Club in 2006. The 42 year old has registered top-six finishes at both the Masters and US Open this year, but has slipped out of the world’s top 10 and struggled with an elbow injury over recent months.
“We had long conversations about his elbow injury, but he’s focused from his personal achievement to being ready for the Ryder Cup,” said Bjorn. “As soon as I knew that, it wasn’t a problem to pick him.”