Chris Carra, Golf Blogger

With four majors and the return of Olympic golf all crammed into a frantic summer schedule, it’s been nice to have a bit of a breather before the Ryder Cup tees off on 30 September.

Nine top golfers have already qualified for Team Europe - world number five Rory McIlroy, Masters champion Danny Willett, Open winner Henrik Stenson and Olympic gold medallist Justin Rose headline the squad, along with Sergio Garcia, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Chris Wood, Andy Sullivan and Matt Fitzpatrick, who nabbed the final automatic spot last week.

A solid team, leaving Captain Darren Clarke with three wildcards to pick by 30 August.

And it’s likely to prove a bit of a headache for him, with such a big pool of contenders. Although Clarke says he has narrowed it down to about six or seven players, this doesn’t make his choice any easier.

Lee Westwood - who’s played in nine previous Ryder Cups - will be one of the first choices. It’s hard to see him being left out. It’s certainly not a case of Clarke picking his best mates here, because Westwood has both the credentials and form to justify selection, playing well in most of this year’s majors. He’d also bring a solid dose of experience to the team - when you remember there are five rookies already going, this could be crucial.

The next wildcard heading to Hazeltine is likely to be Martin Kaymer, whose putt won it for Europe at Medinah four years ago. With three Ryder Cups behind him, not to mention two major wins, it’ll be hard for Clarke not to take the German, who - like Westwood - adds more experience to a largely rookie team.

This leaves a long list of players vying for the final spot, all of which could confidently board that plane to Minnesota.

Shane Lowry is one of these. The jolly Irishman has shown he has what it takes to win a major, even if he did come up short at the US Open this year. His short game would be a huge asset, but he has gone off the boil considerably since Oakmont.

Graham McDowell is another Irishman who will be shining on Clarke’s radar, and has Ryder Cup experience going spare. However his form has been way too mixed and his putting too poor to really be in with a confident shout this season.

Russell Knox has shown great dedication to Team Europe by ditching the PGA Tour for the European Tour. Aside from dedication, Knox’s accuracy and great form - including a win at the recent Travelers Championship - give him the edge, although does Clarke really want a sixth rookie?

Soren Kjeldsen has looked good all season, with a T7 finish at the Masters and T9 in the Open. The straight-hitting Dane would be a strong choice for the team, although has no Ryder Cup experience. A possible inclusion, but you feel Clarke may go for a bigger name.

Luke Donald offers tons of Ryder Cup experience and a short game that is hard to beat. The former world number one has never played on a losing Ryder Cup team and that’s a record Clarke will take seriously. But he’s severely out of form, and hasn’t done much this year to suggest he deserves a spot on the team.

Francesco Molinari hasn’t really been talked about, but his form has been good, his consistency off the tee and driving accuracy are up there with the best, and he has essential Ryder Cup experience. But the Italian hasn’t really wowed this season, so a Hazeltine appearance may be a long shot.

I could go on and on, but this shortlist of talent really illustrates the unenviable decision Clarke has to make this week. All will be revealed on Tuesday!