If the ability to resist rising to the bait is a prerequisite for inclusion in Nick Faldo’s Ryder Cup team, then Ian Poulter and Colin Montgomerie would have done enough this week to talk themselves out of a place in the Europe side that will take on the United States in Kentucky in three weeks’ time.

Both players are relying on being given one of the captain’s two wild-card picks – to be announced at the end of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles tomorrow - and both have been merrily sniping away at each other from a distance of several thousand miles. So much for Europe’s much vaunted sense of unity.

Speaking in Boston on Thursday, where he is playing in the Deutsche Bank Championship, Poulter was quick to denounce Montgomerie for suggesting that he had a “hotline” to Faldo. When the Englishman chose not to play at Gleneagles, and thus surrendered the chance to play his way into the team as of right, there was speculation that he had been assured of his place. He had, he said, contacted Faldo to explain his situation and found the captain supportive.

“I really don’t need to get into the Monty discussion if he seems to think I’ve got a hotline,” Poulter, the world No 23, said. “He [Montgomerie] has got enough work to do this week to try to make the side himself. He should just be getting his head down and trying to play good golf.”

And how that went down with Montgomerie, eight times the European No 1 and an ever-present in the Ryder Cup team since 1991. “It’s nice to be told what to do by one so young [32] and one so inexperienced,” he said through gritted teeth after a second round of 70 at Gleneagles that moved him to two under par and five shots behind the leader, Grégory Havret, of France.

“The only reason we said he had a hotline to Nick Faldo was because he is the only one saying it. No one else is. He did say he has spoken to Nick. Has anyone else said that? No.” Then, with an irony that was lost on him, considering he had just pointed out that he had won 41 times worldwide, Montgomerie said: “Self-praise is no praise.”

The two players once had a very public falling out at the Seve Trophy in 2005, and had another spat during the European Open this summer. It is more like handbags at dawn than anything else, but how Darren Clarke and Paul Casey, two other players near the forefront of Faldo’s thoughts, must be enjoying it from the sidelines.

The chase for the final three places available on the team has entered its final stage. With six players in contention, it looked at one point as if Oliver Wilson (tenth in the standings) was about to miss the cut when he moved to six over par after seven holes.

Wilson, a 27-year-old Englishman, showed the fighting spirit that will be needed at Valhalla when he started to turn things around with a birdie at the 9th, followed that up with an eagle at the 12th and got himself on to the cut line of two over par after another birdie at the 16th. It was impressive stuff under intense pressure.

Martin Kaymer, Wilson’s nearest challenger, missed the cut on three over par, which left only Ross Fisher (twelfth) and Nick Dougherty (thirteenth) still in with a slim chance of making the team. Fisher, seven shots off the lead, will need to finish no lower than third, and Dougherty, on one under par, needs at least a top-two finish.

Justin Rose, eighth in the standings, and Søren Hansen, ninth, are handily placed on two and four under par respectively. The team uniforms, it seems, are theirs for the taking.

Hits and misses
How the Europe Ryder Cup team is shaping up (top ten to qualify)

Already qualified

1, P Harrington (Ire); 2, S GarcÍa (Sp); 3, L Westwood (Eng); 4, H Stenson (Swe); 5, R Karlsson (Swe); 6, M Á Jiménez (Sp); 7, G McDowell (N Ire)

In the frame

8, J Rose (Eng): After making the cut, he is virtually home and dry 9, S Hansen (Den): At four under par, he will be difficult to shift 10, O Wilson (Eng): Will be relieved that nearest rivals seem to have left themselves too much to do

The three outsiders

11, M Kaymer (Ger): Out of contention after missing cut; possible captain’s pick 12, R Fisher (Eng): Nothing less than a top-three finish will do 13, N Dougherty (Eng): Needs top-two finish but seems too far off the pace