Ryder Cup has the air of the golf world thick with anticipation. On one hand, the American team has blown the gaff over its 12-man roster. On the other, there is still a hush-hush on the European side regarding the automatic qualifications, and the captain’s picks. Until now, only four places on the automatic list have been filled. The names include Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm, and Tyrrell Hatton.

This leaves two more seats in that comfortable catalog. And the way, $2,159,500 Omega European Masters has been transpiring, it appears the contention is being led by Matt Fitzpatrick. Currently, the English golfer holds the impressive first berth with 15 under par. With that, let’s look at the possibility of Fitzpatrick securing an automatic berth for himself in the European Ryder Cup Team.

The current numbers speak in favor of Matt Fitzpatrick and his strive toward that automatic seat

According to a recent tweet by Golf.com, Fitzpatrick is required to finish at T7 or better in order to establish his name on the European roster. With the last DP World Tour event for Ryder Cup qualification underway, players are competing with their best foot forward. Hence, it is not surprising to witness the 2022 US Open winner give his best shot one last time.

Interestingly, the current holder of the final spot on the World Points list, Tommy Fleetwood, is missing out on the European Masters. This provides an obvious opportunity for Matt Fitzpatrick, who is right next to him on the list, to grab.

Now, all he requires is to convert his lead into a victory or finish at a tie with one other player in 7th place or above. However, history is a witness to the fact that European Masters have more often than not had close finishes.

Even Fitzpatrick encountered a hiccup when his lead was taken over by Alexander Björk due to a double bogey at par 3 13th hole. Thankfully, he shot three birdies and felt that the strokes were really important. Regardless of how matters transpire for the golfer on Sunday, he is still likely to make the team as the captain’s pick.

Others who can grab a seat in the European Ryder Cup team

Apart from Matt Fitzpatrick, there are several other players under the constant limelight. One of these golfers happens to be the Scottish player, Robert Maclntyre. He currently holds access to the perfect position to grab the last spot through direct entry into the team.

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Standing at T56 in the ongoing tournament, Maclntyre is mere positions away from his Ryder Cup position. However, the performances of the other contenders surely have a role to play in the golfer’s entry to the tournament. The names in focus are Yannik Paul, Adrian Meronk, and Adrian Otaegui.

While Yannik Paul needs to finish in the top three to displace MacIntyre’s position, Adrian Meronk needs to move from his current spot at T16 to a T2 spot. Adrian Otaegui, though, has to take a huge leap from his standing at T60 to the top of the leaderboard. Only a victory from him can guarantee his direct spot.

Hence, the conclusion draws to the factor of tough competition on the cards for European golfers. All eyes, thus, remain on the Sunday final as the European team slowly comes to light. With that, what do you think of the chances of Matt Fitzpatrick qualifying directly? Who do you think will grab the last spot? Let us know in the comments!

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