Inverness golfer Russell Knox has missed out on a captain’s pick for this year’s Ryder Cup match.
European captain Darren Clarke opted to give his three wildcards to Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Thomas Pieters.
World number 20 Knox would have qualified for the team automatically if he had been a European Tour member at the time of his WGC-HSBC Champions success last November.
Westwood and Kaymer had long been favourites to be selected and finished 13th and 14th on the world points list respectively, with Westwood securing a 10th consecutive appearance in the event.
The 43-year-old’s last victory came in Indonesia in April 2015, but he was joint second behind Willett at Augusta National and has recorded four other top-15 finishes from a limited schedule.
Kaymer’s most recent win came when he claimed his second major title in the 2014 US Open, but six top-10s in his last 12 events – including sixth in the final event in Denmark – is coupled with experience of Europe’s last three Ryder Cup wins, including securing the point which retained the trophy at Medinah.
Pieters’ recent form proved irresistible after he finished fourth in the Olympics and second in the defence of his Czech Masters title the following week, before winning in Denmark on Sunday. The 24-year-old had carded opening rounds of 62 and 71 while playing alongside Clarke.