On the Manor watch with Monty

SPORTS writers like nothing better than second guessing thes electors charged with picking teams for major events.

Many would deem it premature to be looking 11 months ahead and speculating on the make-up of the European team that will try to wrest back the Ryder Cup from the Americans at Celtic Manor next October.

However, this team is different from almost all others in that nine of the 12 places are decided on the results achieved over the preceding 13 months with the remaining three handed out by captain Colin Montgomerie.