Shane Lowry to make Ryder Cup debut as Pádraig Harrington reveals wild card picks

Harrington said of Lowry: “He is a rookie but nobody thinks of him as a rookie. He’s a major champion, a World Golf Championship winner.”

Shane Lowry. Picture: Steven Paston/PA

Shane Lowry will make his Ryder Cup debut this year after European captain Pádraig Harrington named his compatriot among his three wild card picks.

Lorwy, Sergio Garcia, and Ian Poulter complete Harrington's 12-man team as Justin Rose missed out.

Speaking about Lowry, Harrington said: “He is a rookie but nobody thinks of him as a rookie. He’s a major champion, a World Golf Championship winner.

“If I’ve picked a rookie it’s probably because they have delivered twice to get in the team.” 

Lowry said: “It’s been a career-long dream to play in the Ryder Cup.

“I remember when the points race started, I said it was my number one goal and it has been for the last two years.

“I’m just incredibly proud of what I have achieved. But there’s no point going over there to make up the numbers. I want to win points and help bring the cup back.”

On Garcia, Harrington said: “He is a leader. He loves match play. He gets the job done, he has the most points in the Ryder Cup and I am expecting a few more this time around.” 

Garcia, who is the record points scorer in the Ryder Cup with 25.5, said: “It feels amazing.

“It’s been a solid year, a lot of good play on my part and unfortunately just fell short of making it by myself, but I am so happy to have the confidence of the vice-captains and captain Harrington.

“Just can’t wait to get there, see the guys and get going. To be able to win six Ryder Cups, to me that’s more important than 25.5 points.

“I would rather go 0-5 and win the Ryder Cup than 5-0 and lose. That’s never going to change.”

As for Poulter, Harrington added: “He is undefeated in singles. He lifts himself, he lifts his partners, he lifts the team. He has played great all year.”

Harrington admitted it was “incredibly difficult” to leave Rose out of his side.

“It was incredibly difficult with JR,” Harrington said. “Clearly he was in contention in his last two events.

“Did I need more? Maybe not but the fact of the matter is, with who he was going up against, the consistency of Shane Lowry, what Ian and Shane have brought over the years, somebody had to lose out.

“It really is as close as that. Alex Noren as well playing fantastic golf.

“If you don’t play your way in it’s a tough place to be. It easily could have been JR or Alex Noren. It was so tight at the end of the day and we just went with the passion… the core, the heart of the team has been Ian and Sergio over the years, the consistency of Shane under pressure and under stress.

“JR did deliver this week, it was just a step too far.” 

Speaking before the announcement was made, Rose said: “It would be disappointing. You reflect on why. Is there something bigger at play because on the surface I feel pretty confident.

“I think it will be hard for him not to pick me but I had that with Monty (Colin Montgomerie in 2010), as well, and went a different way.

“Who knows what the bigger plan is, and if he (Harrington) has a bigger plan, 100 per cent good luck to the boys and I’ll be cheering as the rest of you will.

“From my point of view, you can only blame yourself if you don’t get in and don’t get picked, because obviously I’ve never had a pick for the Ryder Cup.

“I’ve always played my way on to the team which is what the goal always is to do. If you leave it into someone else’s hands, you know, we’ll see, but if I don’t get picked, good luck to the lads.”

Earlier, Lowry slipped down the leaderboard at the BMW PGA Championship and out of the final automatic spot on the Ryder Cup team.

Bernd Wiesberger’s tie for 20th saw him secure a debut at Whistling Straits at the end of the month, knocking Lowry out of the side.

Lowry could have replaced Lee Westwood with a top-eight finish and began the day in a tie for seventh, but slipped down the leaderboard with a final round of 71.

Westwood therefore qualified for a record-equalling 11th appearance in the biennial contest despite a closing 77, the 48-year-old joining Wiesberger, Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, Paul Casey, Rory McIlroy, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, and Viktor Hovland in the team.

With three wild cards at his disposal, Harrington had to choose between Lowry, Garcia, Poulter, and Rose, who eagled the 18th in a closing 65.

Billy Horschel won the event, holding off the challenge of Jamie Donaldson, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, and Laurie Canter - the American's 19-under one better than the trio.