Padraig Harrington Reduces Number Of Ryder Cup Wildcard Picks

Elliott Heath

The European captain will have just three wildcard picks for 2020 instead of the previous four

Padraig Harrington Reduces Number Of Ryder Cup Wildcard Picks
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Padraig Harrington Reduces Number Of Ryder Cup Wildcard Picks

Padraig Harrington has reduced the number of wildcard picks for the 2020 European Ryder Cup team from four to three.

Ahead of the 2018 Ryder Cup, the number of wildcards for Team Europe was raised from three to four after previously being two up until 2012.

However, Harrington has dropped that number back to three.

That’s because number nine on the standings, the man to miss out by a single place, is highly unlikely to be ignored for a wildcard pick.

The three-time Major winner hinted that he wanted the number of wildcards reduced earlier this year.

Harrington told BBC Sport in January,”I’m getting some stats done at the moment on whether to go for three or four.

“My thinking is, does the ninth guy ever get skipped over?

“I don’t think it has happened and I think players are more comfortable and more confident if they’ve qualified directly rather than getting a pick.

“So I’d prefer more players to qualify than if I picked them but I will have a look at those stats. Anecdotally number nine always gets a pick so why not let them qualify?”

Related: Padraig Harrington’s career timeline

Thomas Bjorn chose Ian Poulter, Paul Casey, Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia as his four wildcard picks in 2018.

That came Darren Clarke picked Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Ian Poulter as his three wildcards in 2016.

Poulter was again a wildcard pick in 2012 where Jose Maria Olazabal had just two picks, with Nicolas Colsaerts being the second.

Harrington is the third Irishman to captain Europe in the last four Ryder Cups.

The match takes place in 2020 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.

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