NEC Invitational Akron Scores: Paul McGinley, the man who won the last Ryder Cup, yesterday set up what should be a nail-biting climax to Europe's 12-month race for places next weekend.
But it is a race in which Colin Montgomerie, the man who top-scored at The Belfry two years ago, can play no part now. For the first time in his career he needs a wild card.
After two closing rounds of 75 at the NEC world championship in Akron Montgomerie was left outside the top 50 for the second tournament in a row.
It certainly did not help the Scot's chances of being selected by captain Bernhard Langer, but he still looks a good bet.
While David Howell and Ian Poulter, eighth and ninth in the standings, were forced to sit out this week's event after failing to qualify, McGinley, guaranteed over €14,000 just by turning up, inevitably closed the gap on them.
It was not as much as he hoped, however, and he looked destined to remain in the 10th and last automatic spot with only the BMW International Open to come.
As he said: "It's going to be an exciting week in Germany." McGinley finished with a two over par 72 and six over par aggregate of 286. As he headed for the airport and his trans-Atlantic flight home he was lying joint 45th of the 75 players.
A first prize of €200,000 is available next week and the gap between Howell and McGinley looked like being less than €25,000, with France's Jean-Francois Remesy, Swedes Fredrik Jacobson and Joakim Haeggman and Londoner Brian Davis pressing them hard.
"I just battled as hard as I could," said McGinley, who has not had a week off since mid-June in his pursuit of a second cap.
"I fought as hard as Hell and I'll see how the cards fall now, re-group and go out again. Somebody could have a hot week and jump me, but I could have a hot week.
"The destiny is in my hands - if I win the tournament I'm in the team."
To Montgomerie the sums do not matter any more. He is reliant on Langer's decision, but weighing heavily in his favour is that he has never been beaten in cup singles and Europe lack experience.
All Langer would comment on him today was: "It would have been nice to see Monty contend, but he is not far away."
Luke Donald resumed in eighth place on four under, but after his superb third round 65 he needed something similar to reach the second place on his own he required to have a chance of qualifying automatically.
It began well, though, when he birdied the long second and moved into a share of fifth - but four dropped shots in five holes from the eight dropped him down the field.
Darren Clarke finished with a second successive 68 for a three under par total of 277 while Padraig Harrington had another indifferent day closing with a six over par 76 for a total of 17 over par 297.
274 - Davis Love III 68 68 72 66, Angel Cabrera 69 70 67 68. 276 - A Cejka (Ger) 72 67 71 66, S Appleby (Aus) 69 70 69 68, L Westwood (Br) 69 69 69 69, Rt Allenby (Aus) 71 67 69 69. 277 - Darren Clarke (N Irel) 71 70 68 68. 278 - PCasey (Br) 72 70 68 68, S Garcia (Spa) 68 70 70 70. 281 - Z Johnson 65 73 73 70, Jim Furyk 68 72 71 70, J Parnevik (Swe) 69 72 70 70, SAmes (Can) 69 70 69 73, S Leaney (Aus) 73 67 68 73. 282 - K Perry 72 75 69 66, B Rumford (Aus) 71 73 69 69, M A Jimenez (Spa) 71 70 72 69, SK Ho (S Kor) 70 67 73 72, S Maruyama (Jpn) 69 68 72 73. 283 - T Jaidee (Tha) 71 71 76 65, P Lonard (Aus) 71 69 76 67, T Immelman (Rsa) 73 69 72 69, V Singh (Fij) 73 73 67 70, B Faxon 72 72 69 70, J Sindelar 70 70 71 72, T Levet (Fra) 68 73 70 72, F Couples 72 68 69 74, F Jacobson (Swe) 69 72 68 74. 284 - M Weir (Can) 70 67 73 74, J Haas 70 69 71 74. 285 - J Daly 71 69 74 71, P Mickelson 70 75 68 72, Chris Riley 72 69 71 73. 286 - Paul McGinley (Irl) 73 72 69 72, N Price (Zim) 69 73 72 72. 287 - S Flesch 75 70 71 71, T Clark (Rsa) 71 70 72 74. 288 - T Armour 76 72 70 70, J Leonard 73 71 72 72, P Price (Br) 72 70 74 72, S Micheel 71 72 73 72. 289 - JL Lewis 73 71 73 72, B Lane 67 77 73 72, A Scott (Aus) 71 67 75 76. 290 - C Franco (Par) 69 73 75 73, C Montgomerie (Sco) 69 71 75 75, KJ Choi (Kor) 71 73 69 77. 292 - B Langer (Ger) 74 69 75 74, S Drummond (Br) 69 75 73 75, F Funk 69 75 71 77, Niclas Fasth (Swe) 75 68 70 79. 293 - E Els (Rsa) 72 77 72 72, C Parry (Aus) 79 69 71 74, M Hensby (Aus) 71 70 78 74, J Kaye 71 75 72 75. 294 - K Triplett 73 67 79 75, C Campbell 74 74 71 75. 295 - A McLardy (Rsa) 73 83 69 70. 296 - P Senior (Aus) 69 77 74 76, M O'Meara 71 72 77 76. 297 - Padraig Harrington (Irl) 77 74 70 76. 298 - R Gonzalez (Arg) 73 75 70 70. 304 - P Fulke (Swe) 73 77 78 76.
