Last chance saloon for Ryder hopefuls

One to go. For those on the bubble, this week's BMW International - at the Nord-Eichenried course in Munich which has a notorious reputation as a birdie-feast - represents the last chance saloon as far as securing automatic selection on Europe's team for the Ryder Cup match with the United States at Brookline next month is concerned.

And, indeed, captain Mark James's two wild card picks will also be announced come Sunday evening: one is certain to go to Jesper Parnevik, the other could rest between Bernhard Langer (if he fails to play his way on) and Costantino Rocca, a hugely charismatic figure with a proven Ryder Cup pedigree. Nick Faldo's chances of convincing James of his merits of a captain's pick appear to have diminished significantly, especially with James remarking that "experience is probably over-rated".

Intriguingly, Padraig Harrington - in 13th place in the table with 4,061 points - was in a similar position two years ago (he eventually finished 12th). But his assertions that challenging for the West of Ireland title, where he finished runner-up to Rocca, could damage his Ryder Cup prospects should be put into perspective. The reality is that he has moved up three places from the position he occupied a week ago and, whatever about the pressures of contending for a tour title, other players can expect to be in far worse shape entering the final counting tournament.

For instance, Andrew Coltart's exertions in Medinah may be construed as counterproductive in that he dropped down a place, from 10th to 11th, and yesterday undertook the long transatlantic journey back home after a gruelling tournament. Who'll be most tired? Harrington or Coltart? And Langer has also dropped back in the battle for an automatic place, his US PGA endeavours proving quite disappointing and moving him from 11th last week down to 14th, one point behind Harrington.

The numbers game means that the BMW, as the final event in the qualifying process, takes on even greater significance than its prizefund (£850,000) probably merits. With almost 2,000 points on offer to the winner, the reality is that anyone as far down as Paul McGinley, who is 26th in the table, could still force their way into the top-10. At this stage, it seems that everyone down to Jarmo Sandelin, who is eighth, is safe and look certain to have secured places in the team. All of which means that Jean Van de Velde (9th) and Robert Karlsson (10th) are the two players in most danger of being leapfrogged.

In the aftermath of his win in Galway Bay on Sunday evening, Rocca, who moved to 18th in the table as a result, conceded that he would probably need to win again in Munich to gain automatic selection. "I can't think too much about winning here," he said, "because I think I have to do it all over again in Munich."

Interestingly, however, Rocca was also gently vocal in making himself available as a possible wild card pick. "If I'm required as a wild card pick and Mark thinks I can help the team, then I'm ready. I'm in good shape," he said.

In contrast, Harrington has preferred to see the Ryder Cup qualification as a benefit of playing well rather than making the team his sole goal. Although disappointed that he didn't manage to take a second European Tour title in Galway to add to his Spanish Open win in his rookie season of 1996, Harrington nominated some parts of his game that need to be improved. "I have certainly got to improve my concentration," he said.

Since missing the cut at the Loch Lomond Invitational, Harrington has finished T24th-18th-T21st-2nd in his four subsequent tournaments but heads to Munich realising that he probably needs a finish in the top three to automatically secure his place in Europe's Ryder Cup team.

Of those still in with a chance of clinching a place in Europe's team, Parnevik is the only one not making the last ditch trip to Germany. McGinley's prospects of gatecrashing the Ryder Cup party are, admittedly, slim. But the Dubliner - who had missed six cuts in his previous 12 tournaments - was upbeat after securing his first top-10 finish at Galway since his runner-up finish to Sandelin in the Spanish Open last April. "I'm very pleased that so much of my game finally seems to be returning," he said. "I'm hitting the ball well and have so many shots under control." However, he insisted that he still needs to work hard on his short game, "not just my putting, but my chipping and bunker play as well."

Harrington, McGinley, Philip Walton, Eamonn Darcy and John McHenry comprise the five-strong Irish contingent in action in Munich. Walton (167th in the moneylist) and McHenry (186th) badly need to make a decent cheque if they are to retain their cards for next year.