Golf:Under normal circumstances Padraig Harrington would not be paying close attention to what is happening at the Czech Open. Nor would Paul Casey, Justin Rose or Luke Donald. But these are not normal circumstances. A tournament featuring only two of the world's top 50 might have a massive part to play in Europe's Ryder Cup race.
And it could leave Casey, Harrington, Rose and Donald knowing that at least one of them will not be playing against the Americans at Celtic Manor in October.
While they controversially stay away from the final two counting events, England’s Ross McGowan and Simon Dyson have joined Peter Hanson in a bid to oust Casey from the ninth and last automatic qualifying spot.
McGowan, whose hopes of a debut have suffered through wrist and shoulder problems this summer, needs a top-four finish at the Prosper Resort in Celadna on Sunday.
Dyson, joint 12th with Casey in the US PGA Championship at the weekend, and Hanson, eighth in the Bridgestone world championship two weeks ago, need to win.
But even if the trio fall short of that they still have next week’s Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles to come.
The race is not over yet either for Oliver Wilson, the golfer who earned his first cap under Nick Faldo in Louisville two years ago. Wilson has still to achieve his first European Tour victory, but a first or second place now would put him in with a chance of retaining his place as he travels on to Scotland.
As for Miguel Angel Jimenez, he is currently eighth on the table, but a fourth cap is not yet in the bag for the 46-year-old — and he might need to add to his points on the course he co-designed because he is then going to a nephew’s wedding rather than to Gleneagles.
McGowan was on the point of pulling out of the Czech trip when he slumped to a closing 81 at Whistling Straits on Sunday.
Last season’s Madrid Masters champion and Dubai World Championship runner-up has not had a top-four finish all year, but he is going through the pain barrier - with the help of strapping and painkillers — in a last-ditch bid to be part of Colin Montgomerie’s side.
“I almost didn’t play in Akron (the Bridgestone world championship) and the same with the PGA,” he told Press Association Sport. “On Monday and Tuesday I didn’t hit balls and Wednesday it was just a few.
“It was good to make the cut considering, but by Sunday it was pretty tired. It’s very frustrating and gutting and for my long-term career it probably needs rest.”
Current Ryder Cup standings
(Capitals denote players in qualifying positions)
World Points:1 LEE WESTWOOD 422.0, 2 RORY McILROY 316.9, 3 MARTIN KAYMER 285.4, 4 GRAEME McDOWELL 249.3, 5 Luke Donald 231.1, 6 Edoardo Molinari 218.4, 7 Ian Poulter 211.2, 8 Padraig Harrington 204.9, 9 Justin Rose 195.7, 10 Francesco Molinari 172.5
European Points:1 Lee Westwood 3,446,137, 2 Martin Kaymer 2,638,282, 3 Rory McIlroy 2,368,205, 4 Graeme McDowell 2,307,041, 5 IAN POULTER 2,238,874, 6 ROSS FISHER 1,708,614, 7 FRANCESCO MOLINARI 1,612,747, 8 MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ 1,499,775, 9 PAUL CASEY 1,487,776, 10 Padraig Harrington 1,486,529