Bjorn reveals difficult heart-to-heart chats with Ryder Cup hopefuls who missed the cut

Thomas Bjorn admits he felt sick when telling players they had not made his European Ryder Cup team to face the USA this month.

Bjorn named his four wildcard picks on Wednesday and opted to go with the experience of Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson making the team, with some in-form players left out.

“It’s the tough part of being captain,” said the European captain. “I called the four that made it and I called six players to let them know it wasn’t going to be this time.”

Rafa Cabrera-Bello is one player who might have expected to be named among Bjorn’s four picks, having finished just short of an automatic qualification spot after a strong season.

However it was not to be and Bjorn says he feels for all the players that have been left out.

“I can only imagine what the other guy on the end of the phone felt like,? the 47-year-old Dane added.

“For Rafa it was hard to understand and tough for him to take it. That was really hard for me. When I picked up the phone I almost felt sick having to do it.”