Rose plans to skip Gleneagles

By Mark Garrod, Press Association Sport Golf Correspondent Last updated: 28th July 2010

Justin Rose makes a rare appearance in Europe this week - but he won't be at Gleneagles next month.

Justin Rose plays in Europe for only the third time this year at this week's 3 Irish Open at Killarney.

But he has no current plan to make his fourth appearance the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles next month - even if he has not made sure of a Ryder Cup place by then.

"If I get blamed for that well...I am comfortable with my decision," the double US Tour winner said on Wednesday.

"The Ryder Cup is important to me, but I'm third in the FedEx Cup standings and that's where my focus is going to be then."

It was only last month that captain Colin Montgomerie said he expected everybody in contention for his three wild cards to be in Scotland for the final qualifying event.

"I want to see them showing support for European golf and the European Tour and I will be very, very surprised if they are not there," he said.

"To be there would make a whole lot of sense to a whole lot of people. I will have around eight candidates for three spots.

"I shouldn't have to ask those eight to play at Gleneagles. They will be there."

Rose could still be among the nine who qualify automatically, but even a third victory in five starts on Sunday would leave him with ground to make up at next week's World Golf Championship event in Akron.

After that comes the final major of the season, the USPGA Championship at Whistling Straits, and only at the end of that are several stars likely to know where they stand.

Paul Casey, Padraig Harrington, Rose, Henrik Stenson, Edoardo Molinari - all in the world top 25 - and Sergio Garcia are all outside the top nine at the moment, although a Harrington win this weekend could take him all the way from 17th to sixth.

All but Molinari are members of the US Tour who could face the same decision about Gleneagles as it clashes with The Barclays in New Jersey - the first event of the play-off series with its US$10million prize to the winner. It does not carry cup points, however.

Two years ago Rose did come back to Europe to secure his debut - Casey and Ian Poulter remained in America and were given wild cards - and, even though it was a defeat, he describes himself as having "a fantastic time" at Valhalla.

"That was on a losing team away, so to play on a home team and have the opportunity to win would be incredible.

"I feel that's a team I really, really want to be part of. There are six or seven guys who are very, very realistic possibilities for wild cards.

"That means, obviously, 50 per cent chance or less. It could be the hardest team to get into ever.

"But I have a great opportunity to qualify on my own, so that's as far as I'm really looking at it to be honest with you.

"I think the more realistic wild card options that play well in the next few weeks will make Monty's decision easier."

At least world number eight Rory McIlroy, the highest-ranked player in this week's field, and US Open champion Graeme McDowell do not have any Ryder Cup qualifying worries.

They lie second and third in the table behind Lee Westwood, who was to have played at Killarney as well, but withdrew to rest his ruptured calf muscle.

McIlroy is playing for the first time since his rollercoaster third place at The Open, where a major record-equalling 63 in the first round was followed by an 80 and then by a charge back onto the leaderboard.

"I suppose the first couple of days when I got home it was quite tough, just thinking back about that Friday," said the 21-year-old. "But I'm over it now and I realise that it was still a very, very good week.

"I let the conditions and being brought off the course get to me. I just didn't handle the whole deal very well."

Fellow Ulsterman McDowell came 23rd at St Andrews and admits that it needed last week's break to recharge his batteries after all the attention that followed his first major title at Pebble Beach last month.

He warmed up for his return with a first-ever 59 last weekend - albeit on the relatively short 6,400-yard Valley course at Portrush.

Rose, who like Harrington missed the cut in The Open, turns 30 on Friday and celebrated it in Ibiza last week with a trip to one of the many discos on the island.

Mark Garrod, Press Association Sport Golf Correspondent