Matt Wallace was reduced to tears on Sunday after his Ryder Cup hopes all but ended with a painful finish at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland.
The 35-year-old arrived at Crans-sur-Sierre knowing he faced an uphill battle to earn one of Luke Donald’s six captain’s picks, but a strong performance could have forced his way into contention. Instead, a costly error on the closing stretch handed victory to Thriston Lawrence and left Wallace facing the reality that his dream of representing Europe at Bethpage is slipping away.
Wallace, who finished 12th on the European standings when qualifying ended at last week’s Betfred British Masters, admitted earlier in the week that he carried a “heavy heart” into the event. Despite showing flashes of brilliance, he couldn’t maintain the form needed to mount a late push for selection.
The defining moment came at the par-five 14th, where Wallace attempted to reach the green in two. His second shot found the water, leading to a bogey that dropped him three behind. From there, Lawrence seized control and went on to win by two shots.
“It was a good week, could have been a couple better, but that shot into 14 really killed me,” Wallace said. “I gave it my all and hit some good shots coming in, but Thriston played great. He didn’t give anything away, and full credit to him—he deserved to win this one.”
But when asked about his Ryder Cup chances, Wallace’s emotions spilled over. Fighting back tears, he managed only a few words:
“I will never give up on the Ryder Cup, I just won’t. That’s it.”
Despite the heartbreak, Wallace expressed pride in the effort he and his team put into chasing the dream this season. “It’s been a year of dedication to my craft, all in the hope of trying to get a spot in Europe’s Ryder Cup team. The drive and feeling I get when the Ryder Cup is mentioned is surreal, especially having never been part of it. I’ll keep trying until the day I stop playing golf.”
Donald will announce his final Ryder Cup lineup on Monday afternoon, with Wallace now left hoping for an unlikely late call.
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