Golf: Rory McIlroy has won the European Tour's Shot of the Month award for the second time in a row. During the Irish Open at Killarney McIlroy hooked a sand-wedge 50 yards around a tree to within 12 feet of the flag.
Voted second was Darren Clarke’s 18-foot eagle putt on the final day of the British Open and third was a five-iron by Alex Noren as he captured the Nordea Masters in Sweden.
In June McIlroy topped the poll after almost holing-in-one during his US Open triumph.
Ian Poulter, meanwhile, will be back in partnership with Justin Rose for golf’s World Cup in China in November. Poulter had the chance to select an England team-mate after higher-ranked Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Paul Casey all turned down the event.
He and Rose were partners in the 2008 Ryder Cup, winning two of their three games together, and at the 2007 World Cup, where they finished fourth. Scotland will have Martin Laird and Stephen Gallacher, Ireland the last two US Open champions in McIlroy and Graeme McDowell and Wales, who avoided having to qualify because of other withdrawals, Jamie Donaldson and Rhys Davies.
Ryder Cup brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari defend the title they claimed for Italy two years ago.
Exempt nations (in ranking order of top player): Germany (Martin Kaymer, Alex Cejka), Ireland (Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell), United States (Matt Kuchar, Gary Woodland), South Africa (Charl Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuizen), England (Ian Poulter, Justin Rose), Sweden (Robert Karlsson, Alex Noren), Italy (Francesco Molinari, Edoardo Molinari), Spain (Alvaro Quiros, Miguel Angel Jimenez), Scotland (Martin Laird, Stephen Gallacher), Denmark (Anders Hansen, Thomas Bjorn), France (Raphael Jacquelin, Gregory Bourdy), Japan (Yuta Ikeda, Tetsuji Hiratsuka), Australia (Brendan Jones, Richard Green), Belgium (Nicolas Colsaerts, Jerome Theunis), Colombia (Camilo Villegas, Manuel Villegas), Wales (Jamie Donaldson, Rhys Davies), Thailand (Thongchai Jaidee, Kiradech Aphibarnrat), Zimbabwe (Brendon de Jonge, Bruce McDonald)
* China, who qualify as hosts, will be represented by Liang Wen-chong and Zhang Xin-jun.
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