All eyes will be on Luke Donald on Monday when he announces his six captain’s picks for the Ryder Cup as the Europeans set their sights on becoming the first away side to win the event since 2012.
In truth, there are six names who look highly likely to make Europe’s Ryder Cup team. It would be a shock if Luke Donald did not name Shane Lowry, Sepp Straka, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Jon Rahm in his lineup at Bethpage.
Donald may spring a surprise on Monday. However, there is surely a question mark over just one name at most.
For Colin Montgomerie in 2010, the decision over his three captain’s picks was much more difficult.
How the world number 23 was overlooked for a Ryder Cup pick despite winning the Memorial Tournament
Europe seemed to boast a strong mix of youth and experience heading into Celtic Manor. Rory McIlroy and Martin Kaymer were among those who were going to make their debut. Meanwhile, Lee Westwood and Ian Poulter had already had some brilliant moments in the Ryder Cup.
Montgomerie ultimately opted for Edoardo Molinari, Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington. Molinari earned his spot by winning the Johnnie Walker Championship in the final event before the picks were announced.
Harrington was a three-time major champion by that time. And Donald had won five of his seven Ryder Cup matches.
But it is fair to say that Montgomerie did not avoid controversy with his decision. The two big names to miss out were Paul Casey and Justin Rose.
Both men had represented Europe two years earlier at Valhalla. Casey was the world number eight at the time he was overlooked, while Rose was not a lot further back in 23rd spot.
And what made Rose’s omission all the more surprising was the fact that 2010 saw both of his first two victories on the PGA Tour.
Rose won the Memorial Tournament by three shots over Rickie Fowler. And he followed that by triumphing at the AT&T National the next month.
Admittedly, Rose had a miserable year in the majors. He was not even in the field for The Masters and the US Open. He also missed the cut at The Open Championship and the PGA Championship.
Rose had won the Order of Merit on the European Tour back in 2007.
How Justin Rose reacted to his 2010 Ryder Cup snub
Many of the headlines focused on Casey being overlooked. And it would prove to be a significant decision in the Englishman’s career as he only returned to the Ryder Cup arena again in 2018 – having not even been eligible to play two years earlier.
But Rose would become a major champion in less than three years. Nevertheless, Montgomerie suggested that he took the news extremely well considering the disappointment.
“He was very professional and did say to me that having won twice in America and having the best year of his life, it just proves the strength of the European Tour,” he said, as reported by The Telegraph.
Rose went on to become a mainstay of the European side. Remarkably, the 45-year-old has only missed one more Ryder Cup since that week in Wales – with Harrington probably doing him a favour by not picking him for Whistling Straits in 2021.
Montgomerie was ultimately vindicated as Europe regained the Samuel Ryder Trophy in dramatic fashion, with Graeme McDowell securing the decisive point in the final match out on the course.
Rose returned to the team for the Miracle at Medinah in 2012 in what remains the most recent away win in the Ryder Cup.
He will be hoping to replicate that result at Bethpage when he makes his seventh Ryder Cup appearance in September.
Receive exclusive golf news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
