Monty Calls Captain's Pick Task "Impossible" When You Set Annoying Parameters Like He Has

Not that anyone expected him to keep his word about players who showed up at this week's Johnnie Walker event at Gleneagles, but it's the sentiment that counts, Monty!

Martin Dempster on the captain's chat today.

"This isn't difficult, it's bordering on the impossible," said Montgomerie. "It is most unfortunate that I am going to have to leave out world stars. I am going to have to leave out players that feel they can help the European Tour cause."

"It's a bit like Fabio Capello having to leave out Theo Walcott, I suppose," he added. "He could only take 23, I can only take 12. I wish I could take 20, The standard on Tour has been the best it's ever been. This has been the hardest team to make of any Ryder Cup team I have been involved with."

Yeah, and we know how well that worked for Fabio.

Alistair Tait writes:

Montgomerie said in June that he would reward players for their loyalty to the European Tour, but appeared to backtrack on that promise here at Gleneagles.

“My remit at the start of this campaign was to assemble the best 12 players for Europe to try and regain the Ryder Cup for Europe,” Montgomerie said. “That has not changed.”

Lawrence Donegan notes this on Fabio Montgomerie's rationalization today.

"The situation of players not attending here has changed, in my opinion," he said. "I'm glad that the players [in the US] that might well get selected are playing competitive golf. I think the American team's performance at Valhalla [in 2008] was boosted by the fact that they were playing competitive golf right up to the Ryder Cup. If it boosts their performance, it can boost our own."

Five months ago, Montgomerie was insistent that an appearance at Gleneagles this week was all but mandatory for anyone still looking to find his favour. The Ryder Cup worm has turned, clearly, and in this rapid change of direction Montgomerie surely revealed that one decision has been made, even if the most decisive decision of all has not.

The lucky three will come from the FedEx Four. But which of them will be the odd man out?

But look at this educational moment Fabio's comments provided us today. The PGATour.com headline: "Monty supports European players choosing FedExCup"

Who knew FedExCup was all one word!? Well, now I know, thanks to Monty. For the final two years I'll type it's name correctly, I promise.

Anyway, back the analysis of his press conference. 

Mark Reason notes this about the Fab FedExCup Four:

For 12 months that was exactly what Montgomerie was doing. But at the PGA Championship a fortnight ago he was no longer telling, he was asking. Montgomerie asked Padraig Harrington, Paul Casey, Justin Rose and Luke Donald to play at Gleneagles. They all said no. At least most of Fabio Capello's mob tend to turn up for qualifying matches.

This unbylined Telegraph piece quotes Peter Hanson, who is stirring up trouble already by suggesting the Gleneagles absentees have made a mistake.

''If you really want to make the team – and, of course, if you are that close – then you should be here and playing,'' he said.

James Corrigan reports on Edoardo Molinari believing he deserves a spot on the team.

Yet the bookies agree with Molinari: Montgomerie will go for the reputation over the desire. "To be honest, the guys who have turned up here must want it more," said the 7-1 fifth favourite.

"If the Ryder Cup is a goal of your season, then you come to the final qualifying event. Hopefully I'll play well enough this week to force Colin to pick me."

Tom English makes a strong case that Fabio shouldn't even be considering Padraig Harrington.

The argument for Harrington is as out of date as last week's milk. True, he's a three-time major championship winner, but we're harking back to 2008 here. The world has moved on since then. Lucas Glover, Stewart Cink, YE Yang, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen and Martin Kaymer have all won a major since Harrington last got his hands on one of golf's biggest prizes. To bang on about Harrington's Opens and his PGA is to rage against the dying of the light.

In 2010, he missed the cut at the Masters, the Players', missed the Open and the PGA. He was 22nd at the US Open, the best finish he has managed in his last seven majors. In the Accenture world match play, he lost in the first round to Jeev Milkha Singh. The previous year, he lost in the first round to Pat Perez.

Which brings us to another reason why Harrington - terrific bloke, though he is - shouldn't be on Monty's mind come Sunday. His matchplay form going back four years is utterly wretched. He's been a passenger at the last two Ryder Cups, contributing all but nothing. At Valhalla, he played four matches and won half a point. He somehow contrived to lose to Chad Campbell in the singles even though Campbell had been struggling to hit the ball out of his way all week.