Parnevik backs Faldo for place in Ryder team

Jesper Parnevik has urged Ryder Cup captain Mark James to name Nick Faldo in the European team. Swedish ace Parnevik - who is defending the Scandinavian Masters title on home soil in Malmo starting today - believes Faldo's experience from past battles with the Americans is vital to Europe's Ryder Cup hopes.

"I would like to see Nick in the European team," said Parnevik, who is hoping to qualify for the team automatically.

"The Ryder Cup is such a big competition that we need his experience. My two wild card selections would be Nick and Per-Ulrik Johansson."

Faldo is 51st in the Ryder rankings and has virtually no chance of making the European team automatically, so he must hope for a wild card from skipper James.

The British favourite - who is taking this week off to prepare for the USPGA - was picked that way by Seve Ballesteros two years ago and formed a formidable partnership with Ryder rookie Lee Westwood.

However, Faldo's form has dipped dramatically since the last competition and many pundits believe it would be a mistake for James to pick him, and there is instead a swell of support for Spanish star Sergio Garcia.

Europe's number one, Colin Montgomerie, feels Faldo needs to prove his form is good enough to merit a place in the team.

"It would be nice to have Nick on the team playing 80 per cent of what he is capable of doing, but it is not 80 per cent right now and he has to show some signs of improvement." said Montgomerie.

"We shall have to see, but you know what Nick is like and he'll be determined to show form in the last couple of events and when it comes down to the wire, Nick usually pulls it out."

Parnevik, meanwhile, is almost certain to be chosen if he fails to make the top 10. The only reason he has not got enough points already is that he is playing mostly on the American circuit, and he is currently in 34th place in the standings, 2,102 points behind 10-placed Robert Karlsson.

"I want to qualify automatically," said Parnevik, who knows that a successful defence in Malmo is worth 2,333 points.

"I have two big weeks coming up - here and then the USPGA."

Darren Clarke is taking a week off to prepare for the USPGA, leaving Ireland with only four representatives in the Malmo field. Padraig Harrington, who has an outside chance of making the Ryder Cup team, will be joined by Des Smyth, Paul McGinley and Philip Walton.