Further Ryder Cup wildcard controversy

William Hill suspended betting on Luke Donald being named as one of DC’s three wild card picks on Monday night. What was behind this?

According to Golf Digest, Clarke was still planning to use his third pick on Donald to add experience to the five–rookie team right up to decision time. Luke has a 10-4-1 Ryder Cup record, which is not to be sniffed at.

Thomas Pieters’ win at the Made in Denmark, and the fact that DC witnessed Thomas’s 62 first round at first hand, must have been the tipping point, plus the fact that he had come second the week before at the Czech Masters and fourth at the Olympics.

"Yesss, two week holiday and then off to Hazeltine..."

That kind of form is hard to ignore. Now, we're a bit biased as we are big fans of Thomas, but we have to applaud DC's brave decision making this pick. We also know that TP will add to the team spirit, as he's a great laugh and a real character. 

William Hill suspended betting on Donald being named in the team on Monday afternoon after a lot of betting activity in the North East of England, and we totally get the logic. Luke also came second at the Wyndham, albeit five shots behind winner Si Woo Kim, so there was a form argument to be had as well as the steadiness, or plod, that he could have bought the team.

"Yesss! No week's holiday and then off to Hazeltine..."

So it looks like Russell Knox might have been further out of the final frame than he had possibly imagined. Maybe that two­–week holiday after winning the Travelers has cost him dear: it may well have rankled DC, who is being clinical with his preparations.

Related:

Click here or on the image below for video of DC's picks