Petterson has lunch with Colin Montgomerie

HAVEN, Wis. -- Carl Pettersson hails from Sweden, lives in North Carolina but resides in no man's land when it comes to qualifications for the European Ryder Cup team.

Pettersson, 32, is nowhere to be found on the European Ryder Cup Rankings. Because he plays almost exclusively in the U.S., Pettersson isn't on the World Points List or the European Points List that together determine the nine automatic berths for captain Colin Montgomerie's team that faces Team USA Oct. 1-3 in Wales. Obviously, he needs a big week at the PGA Championship, which begins Thursday at Whistling Straits.

"It's a kind of a tricky deal for me. I have to play my way in, but I can't do it with points," Pettersson, who last month started making inroads when he captured the RBC Canadian Open highlighted by a third-round 60 at St. George's Golf & Country Club in Etobicoke, Ontario, said Tuesday after completing a practice round on the Straits Course.

The long shot seems even longer when the European Team is currently void of such stalwarts as Padraig Harrington, Paul Casey, Henrik Stenson, Darren Clarke and Sergio Garcia. But Pettersson can take comfort in the knowledge that at least the captain has his eye on him. Pettersson and Montgomerie had breakfast together Tuesday morning at Whistling Straits.

"It was a good talk. I didn't want to press him too hard on it, but he knows I'm out there, and that's good," said Pettersson, who sat out last week's Bridgestone Invitational for a much needed rest. "Basically, I'd probably have to win this week or play really well here and then win somewhere else. I've got the next few weeks to give it a go. But Monty has some tough decisions. Lots of good players to choose from. All I can do is try to make it tougher on him."

-- *Dave Shedloski