Deadspin | Luke Donald helps to keep Ryder Cup in thoughts forward of PGA Championship

CHARLOTTE — Luke Donald likes what he sees from European golfers getting into this week’s PGA Championship.

He’ll be the captain of the European staff on the Ryder Cup in September.

“It’s always nice when potential guys on your team are up there each and every week playing against the strongest fields in golf and doing extremely well,” Donald stated Wednesday, the day prior to the start of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.

Donald stated he is aware of the development of his Ryder Cup staff will come from more than a few elements, some stemming from statistics. But he stated there may be additionally understanding attainable pairings for fits and the way sure golfers would possibly fare on the Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, N.Y.

With a number of months prior to the Ryder Cup, Donald stated he does not need to bounce to conclusions in the case of the roster.

“It’s a little too early yet,” he stated. “We still have three majors, a bunch of elevated events.”

There’s additionally comparing golfers at the LIV Tour as a result of they may not naturally rank top within the issues methods used. Donald stated there may be such a lot information to be had that it is moderately easy to resolve how sure golfers are taking part in.

But with the majors, such because the PGA Championship, there is a probability for some other degree of review.

“Obviously the majors are important,” Donald stated. “I think that’s the time when everyone gets together on good golf courses and you have stacked fields. Just to see how they’re playing in those is another point that we take into consideration quite a lot.”

The European captain additionally stated with this yr’s Ryder Cup going down on U.S. soil, that have charges as the next precedence.

“People who have been able to handle those big moments under the most scrutiny, those major championships,” he stated. “It will be something that could give someone an edge if they’re on a very similar playing field in terms of statistics.”

For example, Donald stated that he would be expecting that Spain’s Jon Rahm — a member of the LIV circuit — can be at the staff, however there were no assurances expressed about the sort of resolution.

“He still needs to keep going and playing just like everyone else,” Donald stated.

Rahm stated there may be recognize for the location that Donald is in. Rahm want to grow to be an automated qualifier, so it isn’t left as much as a call.

“It’s his team,” Rahm stated of Donald. “Hopefully I can qualify, and we don’t have to question it.”

Meanwhile, the 47-year-old Donald does not need to completely push aside his function as an entrant on this week’s match.

“I like to work on my game, keep working at it and playing majors is always fun,” he stated. “The atmosphere, playing on world-class golf courses against world-class field, testing your game. It’s going to be a test for me this week.”

–Bob Sutton, Field Level Media