Golf:Silence was anything but golden for Paul Casey on Sunday night. Casey guessed he had not earned a wild card when the wife of playing partner Pádraig Harrington said nothing after she had given her husband's caddie the thumbs-up during the final round of the opening FedEx Cup play-off event in New Jersey.
Of the 'FedEx Four' Casey and Justin Rose failed to win favour with captain Colin Montgomerie while Harrington and Luke Donald did along with Italian Edoardo Molinari.
"I saw Caroline gave Ronan (Flood) the thumbs-up on the seventh hole and then it went fairly quiet," said Casey, who later looked close to tears as the disappointment sunk in.
"I figured that was it. Caroline's a great friend - she would have said something to me if I had been picked, so at that point I kind of knew that I hadn't.
"I probably need time to take it in. Simple fact is I'm not on the team.
"But I think Europe have got an unbelievable team and I wish them the best for the match, simple as that.
"I'm not going to stand here and sort of plead a case for why I should be on the team. It's done and dusted. I tried my hardest and I didn't make it.
"I wasn't picked. I didn't qualify automatically. I wish I had.
"Being injured last year really hurt my ability to qualify automatically, but I'll be supporting them in the match."
Casey out-scored Harrington by six - 69 to 75 - and his 12th-place finish, the same spot he occupied in the US PGA three weeks ago, lifts him from ninth to eighth in the world.
Little over a year ago he was third, the position he also occupied in The Open last month, but that and his match play record - one win at Wentworth and the last two finals in Arizona - were not enough.
He was waiting to hear form Montgomerie after his round, whereas Rose was called just before he teed off.
The 30-year-old lost only once on his debut two years ago, winning twice with Ian Poulter and beating Phil Mickelson in singles.
"When you play one you never want to miss another," he commented. "I have and I only have myself to blame for that.
"I'm very disappointed. I figured I had as good a shot as anybody.
"For Paul Casey not to be in as well I think was a very interesting selection. I don't think many people would have got those three.
"Unfortunately two of us were going to be left out, but that's ultimately our own fault. If you put yourself in that precarious position of looking for a wild card this is what happens.
"I've got a three out of four record and a great ready-made partner in the team. I thought those sorts of things would be positives in the pros and cons columns, so I'm disappointed not to be able to renew that partnership.
"But you have to pick yourself up and carry on. It's not like I'm Miguel Angel Jimenez trying to do it for the last time either - I've got plenty of time."
Harrington has not won a game in the last two Ryder Cups and he has not won a Tour title for over two years, but he is a three-time major winner.
The relieved Dubliner said: "Maybe it was obviously experience as the team is a young team. I won't normally play the age card, but this time it obviously suits me.
"It's tough on the two boys and it was an odd occasion. On one hand I'm happy for myself, but I did genuinely feel sorry for Paul.
"I commiserated with him. It's not a nice place to be.
"But there's no doubt myself and Paul, Justin and Luke didn't play enough in Europe to make it on the team automatically."
Donald said after a bizarre 68 that saw him birdie the first six holes, turn in 28 and then come home in 40: "I'm obviously delighted.
"It's been one of the craziest selections for the Ryder Cup ever when guys in the top 10 in the world (himself and Casey) didn't know they were playing.
"There were very anxious moments and some relief and I'm very excited to be back in the team and part of the Ryder Cup again."
He missed the last match following wrist surgery.
"But I feel bad for the guys that didn't make it and I think how it went this year the European Tour has to look harder at the qualification system and whether it's the correct way to do it."