European Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance, as was widely expected, named Sergio Garcia and Jesper Parnevik as his two wildcard selections today for the showdown with the United States at The Belfry from September 28th-30th.
Both Garcia and Parnevik have focused on the U.S. Tour this year and did not play in sufficient European Tour events to make the Ryder Cup team via the automatic top 10 on the points standings.
Spaniard Garcia, 21, will be playing in his second Ryder Cup while Swede Parnevik, 36, will be taking part in his third. The two combined brilliantly at Brookline in 1999, winning three times and halving once in foursomes and fourball matches.
Although Torrance was always expected to name the pair as his wildcard picks, their selection leaves Europe without Ryder Cup-hardened players such as Spaniards Jose Maria Olazabal and Miguel Angel Jimenez and Welshman Ian Woosnam, who will now act as Torrance's vice-captain at The Belfry.
"Both have been there (at the Ryder Cup) before, both have done it and they have a lot of experience. That's who I wanted to pick," Torrance said.
European team: Darren Clarke (Northern Ireland), Thomas Bjorn (Denmark), Padraig Harrington (Ireland), Lee Westwood (England), Pierre Fulke (Sweden), Colin Montgomerie (Scotland), Niclas Fasth (Sweden), Paul McGinley (Ireland), Bernhard Langer (Germany), Phillip Price (Wales), Sergio Garcia (Spain), Jesper Parnevik (Sweden).