Possibly for the first time in European Tour history, everyone was looking over their shoulder for an Austrian at Wentworth yesterday.
“Obviously everyone’s going to be on a bit of a Bernd Wiesberger watch today, there’s no shying away from that,” said Tommy Fleetwood.
The former Scottish Open champion is the man making everyone nervous because he needs to finish in the top 50 at the BMW Championship to unleash some chaos. The Ryder Cup qualification process, in the very last two days of what has been a three-year process because of Covid, could become a very fraught thing indeed.
Wiesberger’s rally gets everyone nervous
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Simply put (if this is actually possible without a degree in applied maths) should Wiesberger finish 50th or better, he goes above (absent from Wentworth) Rory McIlroy on the qualification’s European Points list.
However, that means McIlroy then counts on the World Points list (where he’s currently second) and it puts a series of players who thought they might be safe in real jeopardy.
It didn’t seem to matter much when Wiesberger was three-over after six holes in Thursday’s first round. However the Austrian has rallied over the next day and a half and reached six-under at the halfway stage– in a tie for 18th.
Just five players are safe. Everyone else is in play. Not everyone is exactly happy about this being the case in the final qualifying event. Especially one as prestigious as the BMW PGA Championship.
‘It’s something to look at in future’
Lee Westwood is one of those now potentially in trouble for a qualifying spot.
“There’s so many variables, as well, with the way we’ve set up the qualification this time around,” he said. “This tournament is heavily loaded compared to everything else we’ve done. I think it’s something to maybe look at in the future.
“Some of the guys turning up here don’t need this week right now. Knowing what the Ryder Cup is like, and just two weeks before. It is going to be draining for a few, and you want to be going into the Ryder Cup fresh.”
Fleetwood is safe, along with Jon Rahm, McIlroy, Viktor Hovland and Paul Casey. Those now in threat include Westwood, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tyrrell Hatton and Shane Lowry. The former Open champion from Ireland is the best placed of those on the Wentworth leaderboard lying joint sixth.
Hatton missed the cut here in defence of his title. Westwood had a late rally to make the weekend at four-under, Fitzpatrick moved through at three-under.
It also may mess with the wildcards
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This intrigue might also conflict with the general assumption that Harrington will select Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter with two of his wildcards, and go for another experienced hand like Justin Rose with the third. He’ll have to at least consider one of those four now under threat, if any do fall out.
Vice-captain Graeme McDowell admitted there might be some tearing up of plans.
“I’m not sure I’d have wanted as many variables if I was the captain,” he said. “I’m not sure I’d have wanted so many question marks cropping up two weeks before the match.
“Obviously it is fantastic for Wentworth and the BWW PGA Championship. But I’d liked to have had eight or nine of my guys locked in by now. Let the (wildcard) picks get after it this week, but hey, it’s exciting stuff.
‘It’s all ifs and buts and maybes’
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“I think Padraig wanted to have a quick get-together tonight. We were just having a mid-tournament review of what is going on and what the potentials are.
“All we’ll be doing is the same as everyone else is doing, as it’s all ifs and buts and maybes.”
Maybe the tournament isn’t so thrilled about it. It’s hard to pay any attention to the actual leaderboard as the points list tracker ticks over.
The championship is still led by Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat at 12-under. England’s Laurie Canter, with a chance of a life-changing weekend, is second on -11. Adam Scott is on his own in third at ten-under after a 68, and Rose just one behind on nine-under.