Picks of the pack

Sky Sports expert Butch Harmon has backed the Ryder Cup wildcard picks of Davis Love III.

"As an American, I think he's picked the four best guys - and now I'm just looking forward to the cup! "
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The US Ryder Cup captain announced on Tuesday he has added Dustin Johnson, Jim Furyk, Brandt Snedeker and Steve Stricker to the qualified selections of Tiger Woods, Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Jason Dufner, Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson, Zach Johnson and Matt Kuchar. Read the story here.

They'll line up against Europe at the Medinah on September 28, live on Sky Sports, for three days of intense competition - and Harmon believes Love has made some wise choices.

"Captain Love did a great job with his picks," the coach of Mickelson and Johnson told Sky Sports News.

"Stricker was always going to be a lock in and I thought Johnson and Snedeker had played so well they'd get in as well.

"The swing choice was Jim Furyk. It could have been him, Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan or some others but, as an American, I think he's picked the four best guys - and now I'm just looking forward to the cup!"

Dustin's delight

Harmon said his charge Johnson was delighted to get the call up and believes the South Carolinian will deliver for the US.

"I talked to Dustin last night, just after he'd found out, and he was over the moon, really happy.

"He's a very aggressive player, he's fearless and not afraid of anybody. Medinah's a big course and will suit him as one of the longest hitters in the game, and one of the better drivers of the longer hitters, too.

"He's worked very hard on his putting and he's going to be a great asset to the team."

Harmon also praised the selection of the experienced Jim Furyk, despite the 2003 US Open winner losing more matches than he's won in the tournament.

"It's going to be his eighth Ryder Cup. His record isn't that good but anybody who's played in a tremendous amount of Ryder Cups isn't going to have the best record," said Harmon.

"He brings stability and you can pair him with anyone and his partner will feel comfortable with him.

"He was a shot or two away from the US Open and has gone close on several occasions this season and he will be a great partner."

Underrated Snedeker

Harmon also warned the Europe team to watch out for Snedeker.

"A lot of people in the UK probably don't know a lot about him - although they would have learnt a bit more about him at the Open, when he played so well - but he's a good, solid player," he said.

"He's a great player and what you look for in these team competitions are players with great short games. That, maybe, was Mahan's problem: his short game. At the last Ryder Cup his short game let him down against Graeme McDowell.

"In match play the short game is so important because you're going to miss some greens and from foursomes you're going to have to get up and down from some strange positions."