Dougie Donnelly - August 27, 2012

• By Morning Drive Team
• Aug 27, 2012 6:38 AM ET

European Tour Analyst Dougie Donnelly is in Perthshire, Scotland awaiting Jose Maria Olazabal’s News Conference to announce his two Captain’s Picks for the European Ryder Cup team.

Paul Lawrie won the Johnnie Walker Championship on Sunday and will be a part of his first Ryder Cup team since 1999. It has been a heartwarming story to see Lawrie bounce back at the age of 43 following several quiet years. The motivation seemed to begin for Lawrie when he turned 40 and his kids began beating him on the golf course. Lawrie wanted to start defeating his kids on the course again so he worked to turn his game around.

Everyone would be stunned if Olazabal chose anyone other than Ian Poulter and Nicolas Colsaerts today. If Harrington had won The Barclays he would made a strong case but Harrington has played in 6 Ryder Cups and has been down on the list for much of the past two years. Donnelly does not believe that the 2003 Seve Trophy will have any impact on Olazabal’s decision today but while that may be the case, he still does not believe that Harrington will be a member of the European team this year.

Olazabal is potentially going to field a team at Medinah that is very experienced. In fact, Colsaerts may be the only rookie on the team as everyone else has played in at least one Ryder Cup. The veterans range from stalwarts like Lee Westwood who is making his 8th appearance to players like Rose and McIlroy who will be making their 2nd appearances.