BBC Sportgolf

Wilson was poised to miss the cut in the last qualifying event with his 10th and final place on the automatic Ryder Cup standings in jeopardy.

Instead, the Mansfield pro squeezed inside the cut mark by one, held off a late charge from countryman Nick Dougherty and booked himself a Ryder Cup debut.

In doing so, Wilson becomes the first player ever to compete for Europe against the Americans without winning a tournament in his professional career.

Wilson turned pro after the Walker Cup in 2003 and has since improved his ranking every year on tour, but he has had an agonising wait for a first victory.

He has had no fewer than seven runner-up finishes, four of them this year including a play-off loss to Ryder Cup team-mate Miguel Angel Jimenez in PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Wilson enjoyed a successful US college career at Augusta State University and will not be fazed by playing against some of his American contemporaries at Valhalla.