Wholesale surprise at Clarke's omission

RYDER CUP 2008:PRIVATELY, YOU imagine, Nick Faldo loved it. Yesterday's aftershocks to his decision to omit Darren Clarke from Europe's team for the Ryder Cup in Valhalla, Kentucky, on September 19th-21st spanned both sides of the Atlantic and brought Faldo in from the wings.

Again, just as he would like it, and as he once was when winning six major titles, the former player-turned-television commentator was centre stage. The fallout from Faldo's decision to choose Ian Poulter, particularly, and Paul Casey ahead of the in-form Ryder Cup veteran was a mixture of astonishment (mainly), acceptance and, from those who know the man, wonderment that anyone should be surprised by what he does. Where Faldo is concerned, you should always expect the unexpected. Or, certainly, that it is his way and no other.

In the United States, Clarke's omission came as a - pleasant? - surprise to, among others, Paul Azinger. While one American commentator described Poulter's selection ahead of Clarke as "downright befuddling", the US team captain Azinger remarked that he thought Clarke was "a lock" before Faldo proved otherwise.

Even Jim Furyk, who has played the last five Ryder Cups in opposition to Clarke, responded: "Everyone kind of felt like Darren was going to get the nod. All of his team-mates and actually our guys respect him. He's a good friend of a bunch of guys over here. I know the guys on their team love him. He's great behind the scenes, a good team guy. So I think I'm a little surprised Darren wasn't a pick."

Furyk added: "On any given day I think Darren is as good as anyone in the world. I think when everyone looked at it, everyone was talking that Darren is one, who is the second one going to be, and now he's picked both Ian and Paul. It is what it is. There's nothing we can do about it. We have a tough task ahead of us."

Clarke, who issued a dignified statement on Sunday evening offering the European team his best wishes, spent yesterday trout-fishing on the river Test near his home in Surrey. However, Ewen Murray, his long game coach and Sky Sports commentator, batted - unofficially - on his behalf, arguing: "Right now, Clarke's game is arguably better than its ever been but more than anything else, he will be missed in the team room. Off the course, he has a presence that few possess."

Des Smyth, a vice-captain to Ian Woosnam at The K Club two years ago, also found it hard to fathom Faldo's reasoning in opting for Poulter - who has played just once before in the match - over five-time Ryder Cup veteran Clarke. "It doesn't make any sense. I think, by anyone's calculations, except Nick Faldo's, you just couldn't leave Darren out. He would have been my first pick . . . it was a clear-cut selection for me."

What's done is done, however, and the fact of the matter is Poulter and Casey - and not Clarke or, for that matter, Colin Montgomerie or Sweden's Carl Petterson, who also entertained hopes of a "wild card" pick - were the two men chosen by Faldo to complete his 12-strong team for the match in Kentucky later this month where Europe will be chasing an unprecedented fourth successive win in the match.

This time, it would seem, the strongest personality in the team room - by his choice - will be the captain's, rather than any of the players . . . but Faldo, just as he did throughout his own playing career, is willing to stand by his decision.

And, after the fact, there was a general acceptance among players - those bound for Valhalla and those not - that this, simply, is how it will be as Europe, overwhelming favourites, seek to extend the winning sequence.

Sergio Garcia, for one, accepted Faldo's decision, describing Poulter and Casey as "both great players, both are going to bring a lot to the team . . . some of us were thinking maybe Clarke would get the pick, or maybe a guy like Carl Pettersson, (but) obviously Casey and Poulter are going to be good assets for the team. It was a tough decision, but I don't think he could really go wrong with whoever he picked because, no matter who he picked, it was going to be a good pick. I thought Darren was going to be one of them but, you know, we're all looking forward to it and we're happy Ian and Paul are on the team."

Garcia continued: "Was I surprised? Yes and no . . . I pretty much knew it was probably going to be two picks between maybe four or five guys at the most, so I was thinking obviously Darren, Ian, Paul and maybe Carl Pettersson. I thought Paul was pretty much a lock. And because of the way Darren has been playing lately, I thought maybe he would get the other one, but Ian's a good player. He's feisty, just the way we like it. And we know he can show us what he's got when we need him."

While Clarke, who won't play in this week's Omega European Masters and will return to tournament play at next week's Mercedes Benz Championship in Cologne as he continues his quest to return to the world's top-50 and earn the precious invites to the majors and WGCs which were outside his grasp this season (with the exception of invites to the Bridgestone and US PGA), went fly-fishing yesterday, Montgomerie attended a function at Muirfield where he vowed to do all that he can to be part of Europe's team at the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in Wales.

Montgomerie, who is two points short of Faldo's all-time Ryder Cup record, is expected to captain the European team at Gleneagles in Scotland in 2014. "I am determined to do that (make the team for Wales) and I do feel I have not played my last Ryder Cup. I have to get my consistent game back. That is what my career has been based on, but this year I have not had that."

Ireland's two Ryder Cup players for Valhalla have adopted different build-ups. Pádraig Harrington, despite missing the cut in the first two FedEx Cup tournaments, still qualifies for this week's BMW Championship in St Louis (where there is a limited field of 70 players and no cut), while Graeme McDowell returns to tournament action at next week's European Tour event in Cologne.

There are just three Irish players - Peter Lawrie, Gary Murphy and Rory McIlroy - competing in this week's European Masters in Switzerland.