McIlroy backs Monty's Ryder Cup picks

Ryder Cup rookie Rory McIlroy says he’s “quite confident” that Europe can win back the trophy at Celtic Manor next month.

Assessing skipper Colin Montgomerie’s wildcards, McIlroy told SkySports said: “Colin had a very tough job. He had five guys to choose from and whatever three he chose was going to be the right decision.

“Paul Casey and Justin Rose are very unlucky to miss out but Europe still have an exceptionally strong team.

“I feel quite confident that we are going to get the Ryder Cup back off the Americans.”

McIlroy was speaking at Flushing Meadows in New York where he was taking in the US Open tennis before heading to Boston for the second leg of the $10m FedEx Cup play-offs.

The world No 7, still just 21, finished a disappointing tied 56th in The Barclays in New Jersey last week to slip from 21st to 28th in the FedEx Cup standings.

The top-100 in the points standings tee it up in the Deutsche Bank Championship at TPC Boston on Friday.

McIlroy looks certain to make the top-70 who will progress to next week’s BMW Championship in Illinois but 57th ranked Padraig Harrington cannot afford to miss the cut.

Only the top-30 will get the chance to battle for the $10m FedEx Cup bonus at the final play-off event, the Tour Championship in Atlanta, in three weeks’ time.