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26 March, 2008

Time For Europe’s Big Guns To Wake Up

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For those with pretensions of making this year's Ryder Cup team - they'd better wake up as the race to make Nick Faldo's team has passed the halfway point.

It may be hard to believe, but there are just 24 of the 50 counting events left until Faldo picks his two wildcards to supplement the other 10.

And it looks like being an onerous task for the European Captain with a number of the 2006 side lagging behind when it comes to booking their seat on the plane to Valhalla in September.

It is unlikely to be the same distinguished dozen that brushed aside the Americans at the K Club in 2006.

Back in Ireland, Ian Woosnam's men were Colin Montgomerie, Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey, Robert Karlsson, Luke Donald, Paul McGinley, Darren Clarke, Henrik Stenson, David Howell, Jose Maria Olazabal, Lee Westwood and Padraig Harrington.

Of that 12, two are more or less certainties even at this stage with Westwood currently top in the World Points List with Stenson in third. It is unthinkable that they will not be in the team - barring injury.

Sandwiched between the two is Justin Rose and after an impressive 2007, he is on course to make his Ryder Cup bow.

As for the other two places on the world list, Sweden's Daniel Chopra and Germany's Martin Kaymer currently hold those cherished spots. An unlikely duo of occupants.

The battle will be whether they can hold on to them during the next six months with Luke Donald, Ian Poulter (who missed out on a second appearance last time out) and Padraig Harrington breathing down their neck.

Playing on the USPGA circuit will certainly strengthen Chopra's chance of making the cut, however with four majors to come - any European win will almost certainly secure a spot. Last time out 216 points made the cut and with Kaymer having just chalked up the 100 - it's still all to play for.

Likewise on the European points list, which currently has just one of the 2006 victors in the five qualifying spots - Karlsson.

There is no sign of Monty, McGinley, Olazabal, Howell or Clarke, who for a variety of reasons are all finding the going tough and all look a long way off making the team on current form.

Instead a new batch are pushing hard with Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell leading the way with 871,172 points, still a long way off the 1,446,006 that Olazabal claimed the final place with 18 months ago.

Also in the hunt is Nick Dougherty, one of Faldo's prodigies, with two more Scandinavians completing the ten in the guise of the two Soren's - Kjeldsen and Hansen.

A fruitful season from the Liverpudlian could push him all the way or leave him reliant on his mentor. As for the Danes, they like everyone else will have to show consistency to make the team - especially if the big guns start to make their move.

Of the chasing pack, Kaymer again remains firmly in the mix should he be ousted from the world list, while England's Steve Webster, who slipped out of the team this week, could still be a surprise contender.

Spain's Miguel Angel Jiminez also heads the chasing pack, with the likes of the unheralded Phillip Archer also in there again with Harrington and Poulter firmly in touching distance.

And what of the mercurial Spaniard Garcia? So far it has been a quiet year and currently lies 15th on the world points lists and 45th on the European points list. However, given his record in the tournament it's hard not see him make the side.