Frenchman Victor Perez is chasing Ryder Cup points at the Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane

With the battle for selection in Europe’s Ryder Cup team starting at this week’s Australian PGA Championship, Victor Perez hopes to shine at Royal Queensland.

Victor Perez is a leading European hope at this week’s Australian PGA Championship. Picture: Toshifumi KITAMURA / AFP

Victor Perez’s quest for a maiden Ryder Cup berth starts at this week’s Australian PGA Championship, but the Frenchman won’t get carried away with the thought of representing Europe next year if he triumphs at Royal Queensland.

Perez, 32, will make his first Australian PGA appearance since 2018, and in those six years his game has improved to the point where he just missed a medal at the Paris Olympics four months ago in an experience he described as “incredible”.

“I don’t think the players, and me included, expected quite the turnout that it was,” he said.

However, a prized Ryder Cup spot has so far eluded Perez, and with selection points for next year’s edition of golf’s greatest teams event up for grabs this week when the new DP World Tour season starts in Brisbane, he can set an early pace.

“This would be ... an opportunity to get some points on the board early when some of the guys are resting,” he said.

“It’s obviously going to be a big talking point, but having been in that loop twice already, I know what you’re supposed to do, (but) I just haven’t been able to do it the last couple of times.

“I’ve been doing this enough now to know that it’s not something you can get in January, February, March, and even in April, May, June ... (but) there are plenty of things coming that good performances are going to bring along, so there’s lot to play for.”

Victor Perez can take the first step on the road to Ryder Cup selection at the Australian PGA Championship. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Perez is no stranger to Australia, with his wife hailing from Sydney.

He has therefore already been Down Under for a few weeks preparing for the two “Aussie majors”, including next week’s Australian Open at the Kingston Heath and Victoria golf clubs.

“I’m still under the level I’m wanting to play consistently,” the world No.73 said.

“You’re just trying to raise every part of your game slightly. It’s really hard to pinpoint one area in my game that I need to better at specifically because I’ve been pretty consistent throughout the bag and haven’t really had any big hiccups that are really holding me back, but there’s definitely some stuff in there that I can work on and get better at to improve.

“You chip away at things and hopefully they pay off in tournaments.”

As they did for Min Woo Lee at last year’s Australian PGA, with Perez admiring the defending champion’s skill on a golf course.

“He has got incredible length, which obviously plays a massive strength in his game, (and) he’s got really good hands around the greens, so he is kind of the total package,” he said of Lee.

“I don’t think he needs to particularly do anything different than what he’s currently doing, and obviously experience is only going to add to his package.”

Originally published as Frenchman Victor Perez is chasing Ryder Cup points at the Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane