Irish golfer Padraig Harrington is relieved to be joining Colin Montgomerie's Ryder Cup squad, after being handed a wildcard place on the team.
The Dubliner, who has not won a game in the last two Ryder Cups but is a three-time major winner, believes experience may have been the decider in the difficult decision Montgomerie was faced with.
"Maybe it was obviously experience as the team is a young team. I won't normally play the age card, but this time it obviously suits me," Harrington said.
"It's tough on the two boys and it was an odd occasion. On one hand I'm happy for myself, but I did genuinely feel sorry for Paul (Casey).
"I commiserated with him. It's not a nice place to be."
He added: "But there's no doubt myself and Paul, Justin (Rose) and Luke (Donald) didn't play enough in Europe to make it on the team automatically."
Of Harrington's selection, Montgomerie said: "Padraig Harrington has won three major championships in the last three years, has stature and is someone we feel that nobody in match play golf wants to play."
A few hours later the Dubliner dropped from 12th to 47th with a last round 75 in the first of the FedEx Cup play-offs, the tournament he chose ahead of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, where fifth place could have qualified him and freed up another wild card.
Not that he was alone in that, of course. He, Casey, Donald and Rose had been dubbed the 'FedEx Four' because of their stance, although 'Ryder Renegades' was a possible alternative.
"I'm not concerned about his form at all," said Montgomerie, admittedly before the last round was completed in New Jersey.
"I think when Padraig's back is up against the wall he comes out and produces fantastic performances. And I'm expecting that at Celtic Manor."
Meanwhile disappointed Paul Casey guessed he was destined to miss out when he saw Harrington's wife give her husband's caddie the thumbs-up during the final round of the opening FedEx Cup play-off event.
"I saw Caroline gave Ronan (Flood) the thumbs up on the seventh hole and then it went fairly quiet," said Casey, who later looked close to tears as the disappointment sunk in.
"I figured that was it. Caroline's a great friend - she would have said something to me if I had been picked, so at that point I kind of knew that I hadn't.
"I probably need time to take it in. Simple fact is I'm not on the team."
But he added: "I think Europe have got an unbelievable team and I wish them the best for the match, simple as that.
"I'm not going to stand here and sort of plead a case for why I should be on the team. It's done and dusted. I tried my hardest and I didn't make it.
"I wasn't picked. I didn't qualify automatically. I wish I had.
"Being injured last year really hurt my ability to qualify automatically, but I'll be supporting them in the match."
'Interesting selection'
While Casey has been waiting to hear from Montgomerie after his FedEx Cup round, Justin Rose got the call just before he teed off.
The 30-year-old was also left disappointed, but said he only had himself to blame.
"For Paul Casey not to be in as well, I think was a very interesting selection. I don't think many people would have got those three," he said.
"Unfortunately two of us were going to be left out, but that's ultimately our own fault. If you put yourself in that precarious position of looking for a wild card this is what happens.
"I've got a three out of four record and a great ready-made partner in the team. I thought those sorts of things would be positives in the pros and cons columns, so I'm disappointed not to be able to renew that partnership."
Rose added: "But you have to pick yourself up and carry on. It's not like I'm Miguel Angel Jimenez trying to do it for the last time either - I've got plenty of time."
Luke Donald, who joins Harrington and Italian Edoardo Molinari as the Ryder Cup wildcard selection, said he was delighted to have secured a place in the team.
"It's been one of the craziest selections for the Ryder Cup ever when guys in the top 10 in the world (himself and Casey) didn't know they were playing," he said.
"There were very anxious moments today and some relief and I'm very excited to be back in the team and part of the Ryder Cup again.
"But I feel bad for the guys that didn't make it and I think how it went this year, the European Tour has to look harder at the qualification system and whether it's the correct way to do it."
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