Ryder battle will boost Irish Open

THE certainty that there will be a fierce battle for places in the European Ryder Cup this year is good news for the ‘3’ Irish Open Championship at Killarney over the August Bank Holiday, less than a month before Colin Montgomerie’s team to face the USA at Celtic Manor is finalised.

While Monty has reserved three ‘wild card’ selections for himself, nine will play themselves automatically into the action. New Accenture WGC World champion Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood are already virtually assured of their places and much the same probably applies to Sergio Garcia, Rory McIlroy, Pádraig Harrington and match play runner-up Paul Casey.

That leaves six spots still to be filled, three off the points lists and the remaining three in the gift of the captain.