Padraig Harrington’s Ryder Cup future could be in doubt if he continues to slip down the world rankings.
The Irish national is about to fall out of the world’s top 50 as he is unable to play this week’s BMW PGA due to an injury.
Harrington, who was once ranked as the world’s number three, has dropped 25 places already since the start of the year, currently leaving him in 48th position.
He is also likely to slip further down the rankings, as he will be out of action for the next two weeks in order to recover.
The five time Ryder Cup player must be up and winning events soon so that he doesn’t miss out on the HSBC Open Championship at the end of October, which will offer his European rivals a head start to making Jose Maria Olazabal’s 2012 Ryder Cup team.
“I haven’t looked at qualification for a tournament in a good few years and I’m hoping to produce a bit of form so that I don’t have to start looking now,” said Harrington.
“To miss out on the HSBC would not be good where the European Order of Merit and qualification for next year’s Ryder Cup are concerned
“I don’t even know what ranking I am at the moment. All I know is that points will follow good golf rather than the other way around.”