Ryder Cup Betting / Ralph Ellis / 14 September 2010 /

Question marks hang over Lee Westwood's inclusion in the team as substitutes Casey and Rose wait in the wings. Ralph Ellis reports on an unsettled European camp

There's always one big danger when you pick a team too early - when injury or illness means going back to somebody you've dropped and ask him if he fancies playing after all.

It's why Fabio Capello never names his side to his players until a couple of hours before kick off. And while there are those who disagree and say it's better to take the risk so you can let the ones who are going to perform get their minds focused, there's no doubt of the pitfalls.

One of those would appear to be looming for Colin Montgomerie who made the choice of telling Paul Casey, now the world number seven, that he wasn't going to be one of his Ryder Cup wild cards. Justin Rose, twice a winner on the PGA tour, got the same rejection slip.

But now comes the fear that Monty could have to go back to one or the other of them and ask if they'd mind, awfully, turning up at Celtic Manor after all. Vice captain Paul McGinley has let the cat out of the bag this morning that there are severe doubts about whether Lee Westwood will recover in time from his calf injury to make the team.

McGinley's given an interview to today's Guardian in which he admits: "We have been hurt by Lee's injury. It's going to be an unknown factor until Lee turns up that week and we see how he feels, having not competed since the Open."

Fortunately for Montgomerie, neither Casey or Rose have thrown their toys out of the pram in protest at being overlooked - unlike the way the skipper reacted when Nick Faldo dropped him two years ago. But it still leaves the potential for an uncomfortable conversation or two, not least if he has to ask one or the other to hang around with the team for a few days just in case they are needed.

In fact there are a few little fissures in Europe's team spirit, it seems, in addition to the longstanding niggles between the captain and Ian Poulter. Rose and Casey both suffered for their refusal to play more European Tour events and chase the big bucks on the PGA circuit.

McGinley isn't letting Padraig Harrington off either, even though his fellow Irishman did get one of the wild cards.

"I was disappointed in Padraig," he says. "He didn't show a lot of commitment. We've had arguments about it in the past and we'll have arguments again."

What this all tells you is that Europe shouldn't be such strong favourites at [1.75]. More particularly it says that Westwood isn't worth backing as the [7.8] second favourite to be Europe's top points scorer. I expect him to turn up because he's sacrificed some of his own individual potential to try to be fit for Celtic Manor. But he can't, surely, be able to play 36 holes for two consecutive days and then be at his best in a singles? I think the best Europe can hope is that it's top ranked player, number three in the world, manages one match on the first two days to try to preserve his fitness for Sunday.

Five things you might not know about Paul McGinley...
1. Born December 1966 in Dublin he went to the same school, Coláiste Éanna, as Padraig Harrington
2. He was a brilliant Gaelic Football player until he broke his kneecap at the age of 19 and was forced to quit the sport.
3. The knee injury left a legacy of niggling injury problems that have been cured by wearing Orthotics in all his shoes to ensure his heel hits the ground first
4. He conceded a 25 foot putt to J J Henry on the last hole of their 2006 Ryder Cup singles to halve the match after a streaker ran across the green. The half point lost prevented Europe recording a record victory.
5. He's launched a new golf course design business - and is currently working to rebuild the St Sofia Golf Club in Bulgaria

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