Rocco Mediate suffered another near miss almost as painful as his US Open playoff loss to Tiger Woods when he was a near-miss at being selected for the American Ryder Cup team.

Mediate was the lone player that US captain Paul Azinger called to give the bad news on Tuesday when he named four others with captain's picks to the US squad that will meet holders Europe in two weeks at Louisville, Kentucky.

Steve Stricker, J.B. Holmes, Hunter Mahan and Chad Campbell were chosen over the man who battled a hobbled world number one Woods over 91 holes before losing in June at the year's second major championship.

"All he said was, 'Roc I didn't pick you,' He didn't give a reason," Mediate told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "I'm extremely sad and extremely disappointed.

"Everything that I accomplished at the US Open was overlooked and that's very disappointing. It didn't matter what I did there."

Azinger was looking for the hottest players to round out the roster in hopes of ending Europe's three-event win streak but Mediate, 45, failed to reach the top 50 in his past four starts.

"I missed one cut in my last 12 events," Mediate said. "That's pretty good. I've had a couple of mediocre weeks, too, but that's just being human. Without a doubt, this is some of the best golf I've played, the best run I've ever had.

"I tried my hardest, and if what I did since June wasn't good enough, what can I do? I've never been this close and right now, it just hurts a lot. I'm not feeling really good about anything right now.

"Obviously everything was predicated on the last couple of weeks and that's too bad."

Mediate is unlikely to have another chance at reaching the Ryder Cup but remains a friend of Azinger.

"He's a good man and a friend," Mediate said. "I respect him and his choices. I love the guy. The guys he chose will be just fine.

"I just thought I was going to be one of them."

AFP

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