ATLANTA — The European Ryder Cup team situation is getting interesting while most fans focus on the U.S. side at East Lake.
European team qualifying ends Sunday, but with a twist that’s caught some players off guard: those competing at the Betfred British Masters can still earn points toward the top 6 automatic spots, while Europeans playing at the Tour Championship cannot.
“I only found out about that Monday. I thought I was guaranteed getting points this week. I thought I was going to be pretty much guaranteed on the team,” said Shane Lowry, currently holding the sixth spot on the European points list. “I was somewhat disappointed to hear that. But the rules were made at the start for qualifying, and that was it.”
This timing creates some drama for Lowry. Rasmus Hojgaard sits at No. 8 on the points list and can overtake Lowry’s final automatic spot with a 29th or better finish at The Belfry. After two rounds, Hojgaard is tied for 15th, putting Lowry’s position in serious jeopardy.
“I don’t know what Rasmus is going to do this weekend, but it looks like he’s probably going to pass me up and I’m going to need a pick next week, so hopefully I get a nice phone call off [European captain Luke Donald],” Lowry said.
Lowry’s chances for a captain’s pick remain strong despite potentially falling out of the automatic spots. His solid play this year and previous Ryder Cup experience make him a likely selection for Donald’s team.
Several other Europeans competing at East Lake find themselves in similar situations. Sepp Straka (No. 7 on points), Ludvig Åberg (No. 9) and Viktor Hovland (No. 10) are all playing the Tour Championship while their Ryder Cup fates hang in the balance.
