Graeme in perfect position to top Order of Merit

CONTRARY to some reports, not a single player has yet qualified for Europe’s Ryder Cup team to take on the USA at Valhalla in September.

But certainly it would take a remarkable course of events to keep Lee Westwood, Miguel-Angel Jimenez and Graeme McDowell out of Nick Faldo’s automatic top ten.

Sergio Garcia and Robert Karlsson, third and fourth in the world points list, which holds primacy over the European section, need to do little more to make the side.

But Justin Rose, in fifth place, is very much open to challenge from a whole host of players.

McDowell is clear leader of the European list, ahead of Soren Hansen, Oliver Wilson, Henrik Stenson and Martin Kaymer.

Meanwhile, McDowell has played himself into the perfect position from which to become the second Irish winner of the European Tour Order of Merit in three years. Pádraig Harrington clinched the Vardon Trophy on the final day of the Volvo Masters at Valderrama in 2006 and now McDowell, having picked up 631,044 after winning the Scottish Open, has moved to within 704,230 points of leader Miguel-Angel Jimenez.

Next best of the Irish is Damien McGrane, 21st with 613,751 followed by Peter Lawrie, 24th on 566,447 and Darren Clarke, 25th, 558,277. An indication, however, of Harrington’s relative inactivity/lack of success in Europe is that he is no better than 29th, with 499,511. Paul McGinley is 33rd with 490,370; Gary Murphy, 75th, 268,576, and Rory McIlroy, 76th, 268,357, have all guaranteed their playing privileges in 2009.