Open champion Todd Hamilton insists he will not start sticking pins in an effigy of Hal Sutton if he is left out of America's Ryder Cup team on Monday.

But he does feel he can do a good job for his country in Detroit in September.

Hamilton's shock victory at Troon last month - after a four-hole play-off with world number two Ernie Els - catapulted him into the reckoning for a debut.

To qualify automatically he needs to finish seventh or better in the USPGA Championship at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, starting tomorrow.

Failing to do that would leave Hamilton needing one of Sutton's two wild cards, but he said: "If I don't get chosen I am not going to be upset about it or go hibernate for two or three months.

"I hope I will some day be able to play on one of the Ryder Cup teams. I think it would be a great honour.

"I feel like I am playing well and could contribute to the team. When I played in Japan I won two match-play events, so that might have a little bit of merit."

The USPGA is not only the final major of the year but also the final qualifying event for the United States team - and Hamilton, 17th in the race, is one of 38 players fighting for the last four automatic places.

Already on Sutton's side are Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Davis Love, Jim Furyk, Kenny Perry and David Toms.

Chad Campbell, Fred Funk, Steve Flesch and 50-year-old Jay Haas are next in line, and if none of their pursuers - including John Daly and last year's Open winner Ben Curtis - finish in the top 10 this weekend then they are safe.

Fred Couples and Jeff Maggert should have been among the challengers. But neither is playing this week - Couples because of a bad back, Maggert because his wife is expecting twins.

Hamilton was on nobody's list of potential team members when the American race started three years ago or even last November. He was not even a US Tour member then.

But after 11 wins in Japans in all he made his eighth attempt at the US Tour qualifying school, made it through in joint 16th place and now has seen his career take off.

Capturing his first major title after such a long journey has clearly meant a lot to him. Just look at his luggage this week.

On his arrival for the USPGA, Texas-based Hamilton had not only his golf bag and suitcase with him, of course, but also a big, silver case.

Inside it is the claret jug presented to him at Royal Troon last month after he produced yet another shock in the sport.

"I probably will not carry it every week - it is awfully heavy," he said.

"But I took it to Colorado last week because my caddie is from Boulder 30 or 40 minutes away and he wanted to show it off to friends.

"My father lives in Illinois close to here, and I wanted him to see it - although he showed up last week and was able to see it there.

"One thing I have got a big kick out of is people see me carry the case around. At the airport here some guy - I don't know how he knew it was in there - crossed the street, his father then crossed over and I think maybe his brother and uncle.

"There was a lady who happened to have a camera. They asked if they could take a picture, so I took it out. It's kind of neat seeing the reaction of people."

Sutton plays himself this week, but it is as Ryder Cup captain that his views are being sought - and while he is revealing nothing yet, it is thought that Jerry Kelly, Stewart Cink and Scott Verplank could be leading the fight for his two wild cards as things stand.