Europe captain Darren Clarke opted for a mix of form and experience in his picks for his Ryder Cup team Tuesday, with Thomas Pieters, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer joining a team seeking an unprecedented fourth straight victory.
Clarke said Westwood and Kaymer, both former top-ranked players and Ryder Cup veterans, were "very obvious" choices, but he had sleepless nights over his final selection.
It boiled down to Pieters vs. Russell Knox, players who have won events on different sides of the Atlantic this month. Pieters, who won the Made in Denmark on Sunday in front of Clarke, got the nod.
"It's one of the most difficult periods in the whole of my golfing career," said Clarke, who added that the phone call to let down Knox was "one of the toughest I have ever had to make."
The addition of Pieters meant the European team will have six Ryder Cup rookies at Hazeltine next month.
NFL
Cowboys down one more QB
The Dallas Cowboys placed quarterback Kellen Moore on season-ending injured reserve as they cut to 53 players, eliminating the chance for him to return after breaking his right ankle in practice.
Moore was expected to be Tony Romo's backup, and now both are out after Romo broke a bone in his back. The Cowboys haven't said how long Romo will be out, but rookie fourth-round pick Dak Prescott figures to be the starter in his absence.
Packers on punting merry-go-round
• The Green Bay Packers have a new punter after claiming Jacob Schum off waivers from Tampa Bay and releasing veteran Tim Masthay. The release of Masthay came a day after he had seemingly won the punting job when the Packers released Green Bay native Peter Mortell, who played in college for the Gophers.
