Matt Wallace has had sympathy from golf fans all over Europe after his latest Ryder Cup disappointment, and Sky Sports’ Robert Lee admits the Englishman can consider himself unlucky again.
Wallace’s long wait for a Ryder Cup debut goes on after he fell short of qualifying for Luke Donald’s team this year and was overlooked for a captain’s pick, and not for the first time.
The 35-year-old sent emotions racing with his tearful post-tournament interview after narrowly failing to retain his Omega European Masters title, prompting Donald to give him a consolation phone call shortly afterwards.
But even a win in Switzerland may not have been enough for Wallace to be handed a place in the European team for Bethpage, with many feeling that Donald had his six picks set in stone long before he finalised his line-up on Monday.
“I think that probably was the case,” Lee told GolfMagic. “Jon Rahm was always going to get a pick, so Matt Wallace unfortunately just missed out again.
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“Matt Fitzpatrick played his way into the 12 and, for me, it came down to Wallace or Rahm really.”
Wallace was in a similar situation ahead of the 2018 Ryder Cup in Paris, and he forced captain Thomas Bjorn into a late dilemma when he won the final qualifying event in the skipper’s homeland.
But Bjorn opted for experience with his four captain’s picks and added Ian Poulter, Paul Casey, Sergio Casey and Henrik Stenson to his eight automatic qualifiers.
“You’ve got to feel sorry for Matt because in Denmark, he won the last tournament in front of Thomas Bjorn, the last counting event, and he didn’t get picked.
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“He played his heart out then, and he played his heart out in Switzerland last week. You can see how much it means to Matt Wallace, and is really unlucky.
The problem is, if you’re a rookie and you don’t play your way into the top six, then you are – in NFL terms – subject to waivers.”
Sepp Straka was locked in for a pick after winning twice on the PGA Tour this season, but he emerged as a late doubt when he withdrew from the BMW Championship last month to attend “a private family matter.
Big congratulations and best of luck to Europe’s Ryder Cup team heading for Bethpage.
I’ll be watching and supporting and know the boys can bring the trophy home. pic.twitter.com/8Kv9ZsB5kD
— Matt Wallace (@mattsjwallace) September 1, 2025
The Austrian looked in good spirits when he was confirmed as a pick by Donald but, even if he was unable to play at Bethpage, Lee feels Marco Penge may have got the call ahead of Wallace.
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He said: “Sepp Straka became a concern because he’d taken a bit of time out with a personal issue, and even though he played the Tour Championship, he looked completely distracted, finishing 7-over and bottom of the field.
“So the only possibility of a wrinkle in the 12 would have been if Sepp was in a place where he couldn’t really give everything because of what was going on.
“If he was in a place where he couldn’t play, let’s say, then I think Marco Penge gets a call, because he hits it miles! I played Bethpage last October and it is a big old golf course, so hitting it long around there is a massive help.
“I mean, a guy who hits it a long way and putts well, you would want him in a Ryder Cup. And he’s second on the Race to Dubai as well, isn’t he? So he was close enough.
“And with his skillset going into Bethpage, I think he might have leapfrogged Matt Wallace.”
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