The Heat Is On

With the clock ticking down to the start of the Ryder Cup, all eyes are on the players who could make the difference at Le Golf National in Paris. The BMW Championship certainly gave us an insight into who’s shaping up nicely, with Keegan Bradley - who didn't make the USA Team - pipping Europe's Justin Rose to the title on the first play-off hole after both players finished on -20. It wasn't all bad news for Rose though, as finishing 2nd meant he became the world's number one golfer for the first time in his career.

The conclusion of the BMW Championship also saw Jim Furyk make his final Captain's Pick for Team USA, opting for big-hitter Tony Finau - despite Xander Schauffele's fine finish at the BMW. Finau might not win many tournaments, but he is remarkably consistent and a huge hitter, with 11 top-10 finishes in 2018. Schauffele will feel hard done by, but is certainly one to look out for next season.

Meanwhile, Europe Team Captain Thomas Bjorn may be ruing a missed opportunity to choose Matt Fitzpatrick as one of his wildcard picks, after the Englishman beat Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard in a play-off to win the Omega European Masters title in Switzerland. Fitzpatrick won the same tournament last year, and becomes the first golfer since the great Seve Ballesteros to defend the trophy – so he’s certainly following the right footsteps!