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Monty: Faldo is wrong to leave out Clarke
Warwick Jordan, Sports Correspondent01.09.08
Colin Montgomerie today joined the outcry over Darren Clarke's surprise omission from the European Ryder Cup team, as captain Nick Faldo defended his decision.
Faldo caused controversy by ignoring the claims of an in-form Clarke to draft in Ian Poulter alongside Paul Casey, even though the former has been out of sorts since he finished runner-up at the Open Championship in July.
Montgomerie, speaking for the first time since he and Clarke were told they would not be playing in Kentucky, said: "Having won twice this year, and in a very pressurised situation in Holland last week, I felt Darren was in pole position for a pick."
It seemed that Clarke, the 40-year-old Ulsterman who proved such an inspiration at the K Club two summers ago when he claimed three wins from three matches so soon after the death of his wife, had satisfied Faldo's criteria that form was the prime requirement for a pick.
But Casey won Faldo's vote with four top-10 finishes in his last seven tournaments.
However, Faldo refused to write off Clarke's chances. "Darren's on the road back," he said. "I watched him playing in Holland. It was very impressive but I have to make a call. Some will agree, some will disagree. I'm the guy who has to live with it."
As for his own omission, Montgomerie admitted that his form had not been good enough to earn a ninth successive appearance but he insisted his Ryder Cup career was not over.
Revealing the contents of a voicemail left on his mobile phone by Faldo yesterday, the 45-year-old Scot said: "Nick was fair with his comments. He felt the middle of my year wasn't 'Montyesque'.
"That wasn't totally unexpected. Technically, I haven't been right. In that regard I've been weak and I will have to address that.
"But I am all the more determined to get back into the team for Wales in 2010."
Reader views (4)
When did Poulter last win anything? It's a pity he can't play as well as he talks. Does anyone really believe that Faldo didn't tell Poulter before he played in the United States? If not, then Poulter had decided that his own agenda was more important than trying to qualify for the team by playing at Gleneagles. Give me Darren anyday, a real TEAM player.
- James, London
Faldo is the captain and he made the captain's decision. Nowadays there are to pundits and armchair experts! Most of the Olympics coverage was spoilt by these individuals and now we have them extrapolating on a few football results when the season has barely started. Can we not be spared them?
- Michael, London
What's the problem? The problem is that Faldo has said that recent form would be the major influence when he makes his wild card selections. What recent form has Poulter got to justify his selection over Clark and since when did finishing second in a major justify being selected for the Ryder cup. How many cuts have Poulter missed this year both here and in America. I doubt we would be discussing Poulters golfing ability at all if he hadn't posed naked with his golf bag recently.
- James Hennessy, London England
What is the problem
Darren has been out of it for a couple of years and may have won a couple of events this year - but not admittedly the strongest fields. But Casey and Poulter - who played brilliantly in the Open - are way ahead of him and other team members in terms of World rankings. So it is hardly the big issue that the press and Gallacher, who should know better as a past Ryder Cup captain than to rock the boat, seem to be making it out to be. As for Monty - what a joke
- Bob, london
