Ian Poulter has withdrawn from this week's Johnnie Walker Championship and his Ryder Cup hopes now hinge on captain Nick Faldo handing him a wild card.
The Englishman has opted out of the Gleneagles tournament and will instead play the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston, where he will attempt to qualify for the final two FedEx Cup play-off events, the BMW Championship and Tour Championship.
Poulter has informed Faldo of his choice of tournament, and said: 'It has been an extremely difficult decision to take given my burning desire to represent Europe again in defending the Ryder Cup in the United States.
'But the fact that Boston this week is my only opportunity to qualify for the final two play-off events as well as being my final opportunity to play my 15 events on the US PGA Tour conflicts with my ambition to play Gleneagles and earn my spot in the team.
'I have called Nick Faldo and told him of my decision and hope that my performance so far this year will earn one of his two wild-card picks.
'The captain's picks are a nightmare, and not a position I would have wanted, where I need one, but we do know that Nick will do the right thing and I will be playing as hard as I can this week to add to my year and hopefully earn one.'
