Round 4: The Barclays

Luke Donald found out when he was on the 10th green. So what did the newly named Ryder Cupper do?

Donald went out and bogeyed his next two holes – and five of eight on the back side. The disparate nines of 28-40 were hardly what he’d hoped but when Donald finished his final round at The Barclays, he was clearly pleased.

"(It was) probably one of the craziest selections for a Ryder Cup ever," Donald said. "Guys in the top 10 (in the world) didn’t know if they were going to be playing. It was very anxious moments and obviously there was some relief and very excited to be back on the team and to be part of the Ryder Cup again.  I missed it back in 2008 and I’m looking forward to being a part of it."

Donald, Padraig Harrington and Edoardo Molinari, who won the Johnnie Walker Championship in Europe on Sunday, were Colin Montgomerie’s picks to complete his European Ryder Cup team. That meant Justin Rose, a two-time winner on the PGA TOUR this year, and Paul Casey were the odd men out.

Donald, who got a text from Montgomerie earlier in the day telling him the timing of the announcement, looked like a man on a mission as he birdied his first six holes. He eventually turned in 28 – which put him two strokes off the lead at 10 under — before he got the word and his concentration was shot.

“It did throw me off a little bit," Donald said. "As I said, I felt bad for the guys who didn’t make it. I think especially for Paul. I know Justin had a legitimate chance as well as being on that team, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he was picked, but Paul Casey, No. 9 in the world, finished second at the British Open, nearly top 10 at the PGA, great match play record, to see him left off the team, it was disappointing. Obviously my brother brought his bag, too, I was disappointed for him as well.

"Maybe did throw me off a little bit. I was trying to get it out of my head and just play golf. But I didn’t do a very good job on the back nine."

Donald said he doubted Montgomerie was even aware of his hot start at Ridgewood Sunday morning. More to the point, the Englishman thought Molinari’s win at Gleneagles, coupled with the Italian’s win in July at the Barclays Scottish Open, was likely a deciding factor.

"But hats off to him, winning two big events close to that," Donald said. "Probably deserved a pick, too. But I’m not sure if Monte was even watching over here."

Donald, who won in Madrid earlier this year, said it might be time to reconsider the qualification process for the European Tour. Four players qualify off the World Points List, which consists of world ranking points earned over the last 12 months, and five off the European Points List, who awards one point for every Euro earned in European Tour sanctioned events on the Race to Dubai.

"I think golf really is becoming a world game and I understand they want to protect the European Tour but at the same time, the top guys are going to want to play against the best players in the world no matter what," Donald said. "And (they) shouldn’t be penalized for that."