Graeme McDowell confident of Ryder Cup appearance

Graeme McDowell is confident he will make his fourth consecutive Ryder Cup appearance at Gleneagles next month.

A run of three top-10-finishes after a successful title defence at the French Open lifted McDowell into the automatic qualifying places at the start of the US PGA Championship.

But with less than three points separating McDowell, Jamie Donaldson and Luke Donald in eighth, ninth and 10th in the standings respectively, the former US Open champion could still need to rely on a wild card from European captain Paul McGinley.

“I want to be in the automatic spots if I possibly can,” said McDowell.

“I will be going out there tomorrow all guns blazing and trying to shoot a low number to finish the week. Ryder Cup is very, very important to me.

“I’m not uncomfortable. I’m optimisitic about the way I’m playing, I’m optimisitc about my chances of finishing in the automatic spots and I’d be farily optimistic of the chances of a pick. I am not really too worried about it.

“My form the last couple of months has certainly shown the captain that I’m playing well. I will take a week off then get ready for the play-offs, keep some energy in the tank.

“I think I am pretty much guaranteed (to qualify for) the first three play-offs, but we are having our baby the second week so I will spend that week at home and experience that next chapter in my life.”