Thomas Bjorn will use a Wednesday morning media conference to set out his European qualifying credentials for the 2018 Ryder Cup, with the captain expected to announce a raft of changes from the circumstances which preceded heavy defeat at Hazeltine last year.
It is understood Bjorn, who will speak alongside the Tour’s chief executive Keith Pelley, will raise the number of captain’s wildcard selections by one to four. Eight automatic qualifiers would therefore be pulled jointly from existing European and world order of merit lists. Bjorn agreed his plans during a Tuesday evening meeting of the European Tour’s tournament committee in Abu Dhabi.
Other proposed changes include the enhancement of qualifying points in events held closest to the Ryder Cup cut-off point, a move which in theory should boost Europe’s chances of deploying form players. Those who opt play on the PGA Tour in the same weeks as the European Tour’s newly enhanced Rolex Series tournaments face the prospect of receiving no Ryder Cup qualifying points for the event in question.
The existing five events required to retail full European Tour status, which makes a player eligible for the Ryder Cup, could now reduced by one.
Controversy ensued before the last meeting of the United States and Europe when the in-form Englishman Paul Casey refused to rejoin his home tour, citing family reasons for basing himself on the opposite side of the Atlantic. Despite calls by the likes of Rory McIlroy, however, the European Tour will continue to insist on playing commitment for membership.
Bjorn, who was confirmed in his new role in December, will have Jim Furyk as an opposite number on the outskirts of Paris next year.
