Montgomerie announces Ryder Cup wildcards

Aug 29, 2010, 23:59 GMT

Berlin - Colin Montgomerie on Sunday awarded the three wild cards to join the European team for this year's Ryder Cup.

European captain Montgomerie selected Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington and Edoardo Molinari for the October 1-3 tournament at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, Wales.

The three join the automatically qualified Ross Fisher, Peter Hanson, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy, Francesco Molinari, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood.

Europe won four of the last five competitions, which is held every two years and sees the best American golfers take on their European counterparts.

Montgomerie's choice of Edoardo Molinari as one of the wildcards sees the first brothers in the competition since Bernhard and Geoff Hunt played for Great Britain against the US in 1963.

In a statement released by the European Tour, Montgomerie said that he had invited Spain's Sergio Garcia, who missed out on place on the team, to travel to Wales as one of the vice captains, joining Thomas Bjoern, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley.

Harrington said he was confident that the three chosen players would strengthen the team, which sees six players competing in the Ryder Cup for the first time.

'Padraig Harrington has won three Major Championships in the last three years. He is someone we feel that nobody in match play golf wants to play.

'He is a great competitor and someone that will bring everything to the team that we know about European golf.

'In Luke Donald, we have someone that can compete in foursomes and in fourball golf; he's played seven times in Ryder Cup play and has only lost in one particular game.'

Molinari on Sunday won the Johnnie Walker Championship by one shot from Australian Brett Rumford after a strong finish saw him birdie the last three holes.

'In my time on the European Tour, over 24 years, I don't think I've seen a finish of that quality under such pressure by anyone, ever. And all credit goes to him for having to come here, having to win, doing so, and joining his brother,' Montgomerie said.

American captain Corey Pavin will award his four wildcards on September 7.