Captain Paul McGinley reckons his European Ryder Cup hopefuls have four tournaments to prove they are ready for Gleneagles – starting with this week’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
The Irishman believes those players with aspirations of making the 12-man European team can play their way into selection by hitting a purple patch at Royal Aberdeen, the Open championship at Royal Liverpool, the WGC Bridgestone Invitational and the final major of the season, the US PGA championship.
And McGinley has challenged his hopefuls to rise to the occasion, including Press and Journal columnist Stephen Gallacher.
He said: “This week at Royal Aberdeen, next week at Hoylake, the US PGA and the WGC event in Firestone are the four main events we will be looking at in terms of finalising the team and for players to be showing form.
“Those four events will be important in terms of the last few places in the team being locked up, but there are a lot of supporting events as well.
“Form has to be there more than anything else.
“Anyone who gets a pick will have shown form and I am not afraid to pick a rookie.”
From a home perspective, Gallacher is the best placed Scot with a chance of making the European team.
The 39-year-old has already won once this year when he successfully defended the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and was defeated in a play-off in the Nordea Masters by Thongchai Jaidee.
McGinley said Gallacher is firmly in his thoughts for Gleneagles, but says he still has some work to do to make the team.
He said: “I think he has proven he can handle the pressure.
“I will be looking at the two majors and the WGC event. They, along with the Scottish Open, will to a large extent determine whether Stephen makes the team or not, as it will for most of the guys who potentially could be picks.
“If Stephen has a big cheque in one of those events he could propel himself into the qualifying team.
“He is obviously one of many I am looking at, but I don’t want to put too much pressure on him.
“I know he is a rookie and has never played a Ryder Cup before.
“I know how difficult it is to make the team for the first time.
“I am always reluctant to speak about one individual more than others but I want to wish him the best of luck.
“I am watching him closely and he has shown a lot of real good form this year.
“And if Stephen shows good form over the next two months and finishes strongly to the campaign then I would have no hesitation in picking him for September.”