Donald ducks World Cup
Luke Donald has decided not to play for England in November's World Cup in China, thereby giving Justin Rose the right to pick his partner if he wants to play.
The 18 exempt countries are based on the world rankings of their leading available player and Donald is the top Englishman by just 0.21 points ahead of Rose. They are 14th and 15th respectively.
Donald won with Paul Casey in 2004 and has played with David Howell the last two years but has opted not to make the trip this time.
Whether Rose is interested remains to be seen, but if he is then Casey, 21st in the rankings, can expect to be offered the chance to return to the side. He and Rose were partners in 2002 and 2003.
Scotland, who lost a play-off to Germans Bernhard Langer and Marcel Siem in Barbados last December, will again be represented by Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren.
Bradley Dredge and Stephen Dodd, winners in Portugal two years ago, are likely to pair up for Wales once more, but unless there are a number of withdrawals or Padraig Harrington changes his mind about not playing Ireland will have to qualify.
Graeme McDowell, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley are the next highest-ranked Irish players, but none is inside the world's top 100.
Since the qualifying tournament is in Malaysia at the end of the month in the same week as the Seve Trophy match, Britain and Ireland versus Continental Europe, in Ireland it may be that Damien McGrane and Peter Lawrie are called upon.
