Paul McGinley and Jose Maria Olazabal were this afternoon confirmed as the last two automatic qualifiers for the European Ryder Cup team.
The pair had been in danger of dropping out, McGinley because he missed the cut at the BMW International Open in Munich and Olazabal because he controversially chose to take the week off.
But, one by one, the players who could have displaced them failed to achieve their goals. Come the final round in Germany only Paul Broadhurst and Thomas Bjorn had a chance. Yet with Broadhurst needing to finish in the top three and starting the round 30th and Bjorn requiring a win and teeing off joint 39th, it was never likely.
The Dane, hoping he still might receive a wild card if he failed, finished with a 67, but as he posted his 10-under total he was still only in 11th place and within half an hour that score had been beaten.
Broadhurst, probably needing a 63 just to have a chance, was four over for the day, only two under for the tournament after a disappointing final round.
So McGinley and Olazabal became the ninth and 10th qualifiers, with European captain Ian Woosnam adding his two wild cards at 6pm.
McGinley, despite only one top-10 finish since January, earns a third successive cap, while Olazabal returns after a gap of seven years.
McGinley, who holed the winning putt in 2002 at The Belfry, will now be able to play on home soil, not far from where he grew up, as he makes his third Cup appearance.
The Dubliner, who is following a coaching session with his teacher Bob Torrance by playing in this coming week's Singapore Open, said: "It's a huge relief. I have been under a lot of pressure recently.
"I feel a huge weight has been lifted from me. Now I can get ready for one of the biggest weeks of my life without having to look over my shoulder. It's going to be a fantastic week and I'm happy to be a part of it."
For Olazabal, much criticised for not playing in Munich in the final event to count for points, it will be an emotional return to the Ryder Cup fold.
"As far as the Ryder Cup is concerned it is welcome to the 21st century for me!" Olazabal said after receiving the news he was in. "I'm delighted but much more delighted because I've qualified, rather than needing to have a pick by Woosie.
"I now plan to be as much of a help as I can be to the captain, bearing in mind all my experience."
The eight who had already booked their places were David Howell, Sergio Garcia, Luke Donald, Colin Montgomerie, Paul Casey, Padraig Harrington and uncapped Swedes Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson.
