The British Open tees off on Thursday with not just the glory of lifting the Claret Jug on offer for the field at Royal Portrush but places in the Ryder Cup up for grabs for US and European players.
Europe will defend the trophy at Bethpage, New York, from September 26-28 as they seek a first victory on US soil since 2012.
Each team is made up of 12 players, six who will qualify through their performances over the past two years, and six who will be captain’s picks.
The cut off for earning points for US players comes after the BMW Championship on 17 August.
European players can earn points until the conclusion of the British Masters on 24 August.
Players who defected to the Saudi-backed LIV Golf do not earn points for their results on the breakaway tour but are still eligible to play, either through earning points in the majors or via a captain’s selection.
Only two players have already guaranteed selection, the two best in the world each with a major to their name this season.
Championship in May and will be keen to make amends after a rare emotional outburst when he broke into tears after a record 9&7 defeat alongside Brooks Koepka to European pair Viktor Hovland and Ludvig Aberg in Rome two years ago.
Rory McIlroy is a Ryder Cup veteran, who often saves his best for the event.
The Northern Irishman will face the Americans for an eighth time after winning the Masters in April and will be looking to add to his 18 Ryder Cup points, the eighth highest in European history.
The core of the European team that romped to a 16.5-11.5 victory two years ago in Italy are in line to join McIlroy.
Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrell Hatton, Robert MacIntyre, Shane Lowry and Sepp Straka currently sit in the top six of qualifying.
For the Americans, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau and J.J. Spaun’s major victories over the past two years has put them in pole position, alongside Russell Henley and a resurgent Justin Thomas.
American captain Keegan Bradley faces a fascinating dilemma over whether to become the first playing skipper at the Ryder Cup since Arnold Palmer in 1963.
Bradley sits ninth in the qualifying standings and seventh in the world after winning the Travelers Championship last month.
The 39-year-old said that victory “changes the story a little bit” after initially ruling out the idea of picking himself should he fail to qualify automatically.
A raft of other big US names could do with a big week in Portrush to further their chances including the out-of-sorts Koepka, former British Open champion Collin Morikawa and Patrick Cantlay, who has caused a furore by not wearing a cap in Rome as a protest over not being paid to play in the event.
On the back of Cantlay’s stand, for the first time in Ryder Cup history US players will be paid $500 000, $300 000 of which must be donated to a charity or charities of their choice.
On the European side, Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg and Justin Rose can be confident they will be picked by captain Luke Donald.
Despite his defection to the LIV Tour, Sergio Garcia has talked up his chances of playing in a record-equalling 11th Ryder Cup for a European player and adding to his already record 28.5 points.
Matt Fitzpatrick and Nicolai Hojgaard are the two most at risk from the 2023 European team of missing out, while the latter’s brother Rasmus sits seventh in automatic qualifying.-AFP
