EUROPEAN TOUR NEWSNICK DOUGHERTY has expressed surprise that with just three events left in Europe's Ryder Cup race some of the players still fighting to make the side are having a week off.

Justin Rose, Oliver Wilson and Soren Hansen occupy places eight, nine and 10 in the qualifying table, but not one of them is at the SAS Masters in Stockholm.

Nor is Colin Montgomerie. And since the Scot is not currently entered for next week's KLM Open in Holland either, his only way into Nick Faldo's team now is as one of the two wild cards.

That is far from guaranteed. Indeed, many think it is highly unlikely.

With Ian Poulter and Paul Casey needing a captain's pick at present, Montgomerie's recent form - 149th out of 155 at the US PGA last week and 77th out of 80 in the previous week's Bridgestone World Championship - has to count against him.

Dougherty, presented with a chance to get back into contention for a debut by the absence of Rose, Wilson and Hansen, said: "I am surprised. If I were in their position I would be playing.

"It's hard to criticise them at this point, though, because if they come out the next two weeks and make the side then it was a great decision not to play here. But if they don't make the side they will be kicking themselves."

The 26-year-old from Liverpool, whose mother died in April following a heart attack, had dropped from top of the table last October to 15th.

He has not had a top-50 finish in his last seven starts, but he is back this week on the Arlandastad course where he was joint runner-up last August, and should he win on Sunday he will be around €30,000 behind Hansen.

The player who stands to benefit most from the stay-aways, however, is Germany's Martin Kaymer. The 23-year-old was knocked out of an automatic spot by Sergio Garcia's runner-up finish at Oakland Hills, but will go to ninth in the standings if he finishes better than 13th in Sweden, and will go ahead of Rose if he is in the top three.

Kaymer has had a bit of a slump lately as well, not surprisingly given his mother died of cancer at the start of July. But he tied Dougherty for second place last year and that has to bring back some good memories.

Another intriguing aspect of the final Ryder Cup countdown is Casey's decision to stay in America rather than return to Europe, as Rose and Poulter may yet do to try to secure their places.

Casey spoke on Sunday of having three more chances in the States to qualify automatically, but the third of them does not count in the points race.

"Maybe Paul does not know that," commented Dougherty, who believes his only way of being part of the team next month is to force his way in. "I think Nick's going to pick Ian if he has to because of his second place at the Open, and if Paul (Casey) is playing decently you would definitely pick him.

"I'd be surprised if Nick went for Monty, though. From what I've heard wild cards go to players in form - and Paul McGinley told me that the last thing you want is to go to a Ryder Cup playing badly."

McGinley resigned as a vice-captain to Faldo last September to concentrate on trying to make the team, but is only 28th on the table.

This week's field includes DJ Trahan, who hopes to improve his chances of a wild card from US captain Paul Azinger, and Chris Wood, making his professional debut four weeks after his fifth-place finish at the British Open.

Meanwhile, Graeme McDowell, eagerly looking forward to a first Ryder Cup cap, has become the first European Tour player to be fined for slow play this season.

McDowell has had to fork out €700 after being put on the clock for the 17th time at the Bridgestone World Championship.

Scandinavian Masters

Course details:Arlandastad Golf Club, Roserberg. Situated close to Stockholm, the flat, 6,835-yard, par-70 parkland course finishes on a par three. Kalle Brink holds the course record - his round of 63 came in the 2004 Skandia Open.

Prize money:€1.6 million. The winner will receive €266,660.

Current Champion:Mikko Ilonen of Finland.

Irish in action:Peter Lawrie, Paul McGinley, Damien McGrane, Rory McIlroy, Gary Murphy.

On TV: Sky Sports 1, 10.30am.