Niclas Fasth approaching Ryder Cup berth

The Americans shocked at The Belfry four years ago by the intensity with which Niclas Fasth plays his golf should prepare themselves for another dose this September.

The Swede won the Spanish Open yesterday and with it moved up from 17th to 12th in the race for places in Ian Woosnam’s side at the K Club.

Fasth could be seen fist-pumping as early as the second hole in his final round at San Roque – and it is the way he intends to go on performing.

“As you can tell, I am a high-energy player – I need to have plenty of energy in my game to be sharp,” he said after beating England’s John Bickerton with a birdie at the fourth hole of a play-off.

“I’m not at my best when I am relaxed. We are all different and a fist-pump is a bit of a release of energy.

“I’ve always been a player who plays his best at high energy. I’ve made the mistake of not going that route and for me it’s never really worked.

“I may well have taken the Americans by surprise at The Belfry. I only got half a point from three games, but I played well, really did enjoy it and was close to being the one to finish it off.”

Paul McGinley might never have got the chance to be the match-winning hero if Paul Azinger had not holed a bunker shot at the last.

Fasth was poised to win at the time, but had to settle for a half and that left Europe just short of the winning line – a line they crossed 10 minutes later when McGinley sank his famous putt for a half with Jim Furyk.

A slump from 22nd to 83rd on the Order of Merit in 2004 meant he was nowhere near making the side for Detroit, but his latest victory – on the day after his 34th birthday – has given him a real chance of a second cap.

“It was very important for me to win rather than finish second,” he said following a nine-iron to five feet to see off the challenge of Bickerton, who had come from eight back with a course record-equalling 63.

Even when Bickerton finished his round he did not rate his chances highly, but Fasth then bogeyed the final two holes.

“I knew what I had to do and I didn’t do it. I’m not too happy about that, but you have setbacks and I bounced back. I knew how to hang in there and I got it sorted.”