Tuesday 14 May 2019 21:28, UK
Padraig Harrington has called on players to show commitment to the European Tour’s flagship event if they want to be considered for a wildcard pick in Europe’s 2020 Ryder Cup side.
Harrington has reduced the number of captain's selections from four to three for the biennial contest at Whistling Straits, with the Irishman set to name his picks after next year's BMW PGA Championship.
Wentworth will be the last tournament to automatically secure qualification for Team Europe, with Harrington giving a clear ultimatum to the players hoping to claim the other spots for Wisconsin.
"Anybody who wants a pick is going to have to turn up [to Wentworth]," Harrington said. "Nobody has an excuse not to turn up at the BMW PGA Championship.
"They can't say they're playing another event or they're somewhere else. If you want a pick, you're going to have to turn up and play a big tournament with the other players who are interested in that pick, so I can make a definitive decision as late as a week before the tournament."
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Harrington was also pleased to see Rory McIlroy confirm he will continue to be a European Tour member in 2019, having previously suggested he wouldn't be taking up his membership.
"I think all the European players understand how big the Ryder Cup is to themselves individually and how much of an opportunity it is for their careers to play in the Ryder Cup," Harrington added.
"I know Rory loves it, and you only have to see him during a Ryder Cup in the team room. Rory is only a young man, but it gives him an opportunity to play the captain's role, the leader's role in that team room.
"There's very few of us out there that don't relish the opportunity to be a leader. Rory is certainly one of those, and I can see that he wouldn't do anything to harm his chances of being in that team.
"It is nice that he is taking membership, to put it down on paper and make things a little simple. For me, it was never really an issue for the Ryder Cup and I know he will be there and giving it 100 per cent when it comes to it next September."
