The 35-year-old Englishman was a harsh snub in 2018, when he won three times, but was not elected by Captain Thomas Bjorn. The five-time DP champion in the champion DP has emptied the reservoir to impress Captain Luke Donald ahead of the time of electing Monday’s captain. But a year after Wallace left for a strong start to qualify for Ryder Cup by winning European Omega masters, he reached Crans-Sierre GC again knowing that he was likely to come out of his dream once again.
Wallace posted in society that he had a “heavy heart” knowing his Ryder cup Fate was likely stamped, but he still hoped to give Donald one last thing to think about this week when he defended his title in Switzerland.
It’s been a year since we were last here in Crans Montana, Switzerland. A year of dedication to my craft, all in the hope of trying to get a place in the European Ryder Cup team. I am returning with such a heavy heart, but a full of pride and gratitude to my team. pic.twitter.com/lrydksb0jr
We have given everything. The encouragement and feeling I get inside when mentioning the Ryder Cup is quite surreal, especially when it is a match that I have never managed to be part of it. I have said in the record that I will never stop trying to be a part of it until I stopped playing.
It is difficult to say in words how much it would say to me this year. I will learn from this and be stronger for the other campaign. For everyone involved, thankyou and for all the fans there, you are the best and we will go again.
Wallace has put great pressure to play his best down the stretch, but outside a T3 to 3m open, he has undoubtedly not played in the required standard. Wallace admitted that the pressure he feels trying to play his way to the team has obviously influenced his game.
“It’s been a few difficult weeks, maybe more emotional than physically (with) wanting to show myself and try to get into the Ryder Cup team when it means so much to you,” Wallace told Europetour.com earlier this week. Golf pressure is like a ghost. It’s there, you can’t see it, but you can feel it. Really sometimes affects your swinging.
“You give everything and I just didn’t have it,” he added. “I will not give up. There is an extra week. (But) I do not believe I will be able to get a choice, but it is out of control and my hands, so we will leave to Luke.”
But still, Wallace placed the pedal this week in Switzerland in a final effort to shake Donald. He shot rounds of 65, 63 and 65 to put himself in quarrel to defend his title. He fired a last round 67 on Sunday, but that wasn’t enough to do it after Wallace posted 20 sub-par, which was two blows after winner Thinston Lawrence.
After his last round, Wallace became very exciting when asked about his chances of Ryder Cup. He tried to hold back tears for over 40 seconds before leaving a sentence that perfectly involves his push towards his dreams.
“I will never give up the Ryder Cup,” Wallace said before I left.
Wallace ended up in 12th place in Europe’s Ryder Cup rankings. Rory Mcilroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose, Robert Macintyre, Tyrrell Hatton and Rasmus Hojgaard Automatically qualified for the team. On Monday, Donald is expected to elect Ludwig Aberg, Victor Hovland, Shane Lowry, Jon Rahm, Sepp Straka and Matt Fitzpatrick while Europe seems to turn 11 of its 12 players from its winning team of Ryder Cup.
Wallace is seen as a bubble boy along with the likes of Marco Penge and Nicolai Hoygaard, but based on Wallace’s emotion, he feels like he already knows his fate is set, and now he will have to wait until 2027 to try and achieve an eternal dream.
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