By Andrew Both
GREENSBORO, North Carolina (Reuters) - Major champions Henrik Stenson and Sergio Garcia did not exactly make unassailable cases for European Ryder Cup selection with their performances at the Wyndham Championship.
Stenson, at least, observed some positive signs in his game.
With a tie for 20th at Sedgefield, the Swede made no inroads towards automatic selection for the team to take on the United States in Paris from Sept. 28-30.
"It's not really been exactly the week we wanted but I had a good spell on Friday, hit some really good iron shots," he told Reuters after a closing six-under-par 64 left him eight strokes behind winner Brandt Snedeker.
Spaniard Garcia finished another shot behind, in equal 24th.
Stenson, the 2017 Wyndham champion, was pleased to see a few putts drop in on Sunday.
"I've been struggling on the greens for a few weeks so it was nice to roll a few in," he said.
"At least a little part of what we left out there the first three days, we got that back in the final round."
The top eight in the European standings in two weeks will automatically qualify for the Ryder Cup team, before captain Thomas Bjorn picks four others.
Barring a victory at next week's Northern Trust tournament in New Jersey, Stenson will probably be reliant on Bjorn.
Four times a team member, he said he was "not really" feeling too much pressure trying to make the team.
"I've been trying to focus on my game and there are some things that are good and some things that needed a bit more work. We'll try to sort that out in weeks to come," he said.
"Obviously we're a little bit out of direct qualification. He (Bjorn) has got my number and I guess I'll just have to wait next to the telephone."
Garcia was only four shots from the lead starting the final round but did not help his cause with a mediocre closing 70.
Like Stenson, the eight-times Ryder Cup member seems destined to have to rely on a captain's pick.
(Reporting by Andrew Both; editing by Clare Fallon)