EUROPE'S Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke has resisted the temptation to make changes to the qualifying system for next year's tournament.

Clarke hinted in March that he might reduce his wild cards from three to two, but has decided to keep the same format used for Gleneagles last year.

That means nine players will qualify automatically - four from the European points list and five from the world points list - with the Northern Irishman then adding three wild cards.

Qualifying for the shoot-out at Hazeltine in Minnesota will get under way with the M2M Russian Open in Moscow at the start of September.

"I gave it a lot of thought," Clarke said during a press conference ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. "I went into comparisons of what teams would have been like under different systems but my overall feeling was that with the team Paul McGinley assembled at Gleneagles, and how successful they were, it would have been very foolish to make any changes. This signals the start of what I know will be an intense and exciting period for me personally and for everyone involved with the European Tour.

"Qualification is a truly global affair now and many of those who make the team will do so by playing in many tournaments around the world.

"As I said when I was announced as captain, I'm focused on assembling the best team possible to represent Europe and I think this system gives me the opportunity to do that."

The last counting event has yet to be determined but is traditionally held at the end of August.

Meanwhile, Clarke has set his sights on at least earning a lie-in on Saturday morning as he looks to win the Irish Open for the first time at the 24th attempt.

He said ahead of tomorrow's start Royal County Down: "At more Irish Opens than I can count I've been first off on the Saturday morning, meaning I wasn't involved in the business end of the tournament. Hopefully this week will be different."