Important week at Gleneagles
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2010 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles | Preview | 25 Aug 2010
This week’s Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in Scotland takes on a whole new level of importance and interest given that at week’s end the European Ryder Cup Team is finalised.
Currently Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer and Graeme McDowell head the world points list with Ian Poulter, Ross Fisher, Francesco Molinari, Peter Hanson and Miguel Angel Jimenez the five players likely to secure Ryder Cup places from the European Tour’s points table. Those places could still change subject to performances this week.
Interestingly, four of those who could be considered strong chances for one of three wild cards pick allowed to Captain Montgomerie are playing in the US this week in the first of the lucrative FedEx Cup Playoffs. Who can blame them could be the answer but surely those who support the European Tour should be offered some consideration as well.
Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald, Paul Casey and Justin Rose are those four players and so there might yet be an opportunity for a wildcard pick from outside that group although they would need something special this week if they were to convince Montgomerie of such a dramatic move.
The Molinari brothers, Ross Fisher, Robert Karlsson, last week’s winner Peter Hanson, Miguel Angel Jimenez and local Stephen Gallacher are all in form and are likely contenders.
Hanson finished third in this event two years ago and although it is always difficult to back up a victory of last week’s significance with another strong performance it would not surprise if the ever improving Swede did just that.
Australasians in the field are Michael Campbell, Danny Lee, Mark Brown, Marcus Both, Brett Rumford, Rick Kulacz, Andrew Tampion and Scott Hend.
New Zealander Lee showed last week that his game is coming around and he did finish 10th in this event twelve months ago suggesting a continuation of that improvement. The Johnnie Walker Classic Champion eighteen months ago is too big a talent to be as far down in the rankings as he is right now.
