Paul McGinley, the victorious 2014 European Ryder Cup Captain, believes the former European Challenge Tour stars set to tee it up at Hazeltine National Golf Club in two weeks’ time will not be phased by making their Ryder Cup debuts on American soil.
Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello, who graduated on to the European Tour in 2006 and 2008, joins Englishman Matt Fitzpatrick and Thomas Pieters of Belgium as Challenge Tour alumni who will represent Team Europe for the first time in Minnesota.
McGinley, who became the first Irishman to captain Team Europe two years ago, has assessed the credentials of the past players from Europe’s top developmental tour.
“We have always had a good legacy of Challenge Tour players graduating on to the European Tour before going on to represent Europe in The Ryder Cup,” he said.
“It is like climbing rungs on the ladder, and anyone who has qualified for The Ryder Cup is one hell of a player and I have absolutely no fears that they will go on and do well.
“There has been a lot of talk about rookies and inexperience but I don’t know about that. Form for me is more important. When you are confident and coming off the back of good years, like they all they are, then they will hit the ground running – and they won’t be afraid.
“They have all won tournaments and have established themselves in elite fields, so rookies are not quite the same now as they might have been 20 years ago.
“We have got a young, energised team. America are very strong, and they will be favourites, but we won’t be afraid and will give it a good go.”
Pieters, who finished fourth in the Olympics and second in the D+D REAL Czech Masters before going on to win the Made in Denmark, played on the Challenge Tour in 2013 and the Belgian is one player in red hot form who McGinley believes will make a significant impact in his rookie appearance.
“Obviously Thomas Pieters was a pick, but he is a potential star of the future with how he hits the ball, the way he plays and dedicates himself to the game,” he said.
“All three former Challenge Tour players are very strong. I think they will all do really well, have no fear, and will not stall under the pressure. They are vibrant and will bring a lot of energy.
“You have to go out to enjoy it and play with a smile on your face. The whole idea of that is a psychological mind-set and they just need to embrace the challenge that it is. There are psychological ploys you can have to do that.
“Some people love the emotion – like an Ian Poulter for example, who harnesses the emotion of the crowd and the energy, and he rides that like a wave to take him to the next level.
“Other players, like Bernhard Langer for example, stay calm and quiet and disassociate themselves from everything, forget that it is The Ryder Cup, and just go about their business. So it depends on the individual.”
