Consolation prize for Tiger...?
The PGA Championship wasn’t just “Glory’s Last Shot” to win a major, it was also the last tournament to earn points and clinch an automatic berth for the Ryder Cup. I think the (added) pressure definitely got to a few of the guys. I’m betting it was weighing on Hunter Mahan, who missed the cut. Look what Bo Van Pelt did the last few holes — he bogeyed three of the last five. U.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III probably wasn’t too impressed…
Outside of Steve Stricker who finished T7, none of the American Bubble Boys did anything outstanding. In Love’s press conference on Wednesday, he basically said Stricker was a lock because we happen to have a guy who “likes playing with him,” aka Tiger Woods.
Phil Mickelson had a promising start. He somehow managed to be at even-par through 36 holes. Considering that every time the telecast showed Phil, he was in the beach grass or a sandy area or some kind of trouble, it was very impressive, not to mention the almost unplayable conditions on Friday. Phil was one of the only four players that broke par in the second round. Well, then came the weekend and Phil faded away. He finished T36.
Heading into the week, he was ranked eighth in points with a slim lead over Mahan. So after Mahan MC’d, Phil was nearly a sure thing to make it in points.
So, the top eight didn’t change. No one unseated anyone. Well, Bubba Watson and Jason Dufner flipped spots.
Without further ado, here are the players who have earned berths on the 2012 American Ryder Cup team:
Tiger Woods (It will be his seventh Ryder Cup)
Bubba Watson (It will be his second straight Ryder Cup)
Jason Dufner (Ryder Cup debut)
Keegan Bradley (Ryder Cup debut)
Webb Simpson (Ryder Cup debut)
Zach Johnson (It will be his third Ryder Cup)
Matt Kuchar (It will be his second straight Ryder Cup)
Phil Mickelson (It will be his ninth straight Ryder Cup appearance, which sets the U.S. Team record for most consecutive appearances, and most all-time appearances)
*****
Others will have some butt-kissing to do over the next three weeks…Just kidding. Kind of. No, Stricker is a lock. I’m guessing so are Hunter Mahan and Jim Furyk. Question is now who does Captain Love take for his fourth wildcard pick? Tough call between Rickie Fowler and Brandt Snedeker, in my opinion.
If you’re DL3, which four do you pick?
Love will officially select the final four members of the Team on Sept. 4, and the 39th Ryder Cup will take place Sept. 28-30 at Medinah (Ill.) Country Club. He’s scheduled for a press conference at the media hotel at 9am on Monday.
(Getty Images/Ross Kinnaird)
I think you have them all correct. Stricker, Furyk, Strix, and Fowler. DL3 likes Fowler’s team chemistry which is good because his game is in shambles. 3 of last 5 rounds in the 80s I think.
Can’t wait to see Dufner bring that outgoing
fire to the team
I’d pick #94 on the RC points list – Billy Hurley III
Follow up: DL3 in his presser today mentioned the aforemetioned Furyk, Striker, and Mahan, and Fowler. Seems like DJ and BVP are going to need to play their way in the next 3 weeks.
I’d be surprised if Snedeker or BVP got picked, they need to win a playoffs event to get considered imo.
At this point, like I said in the other thread, it’s between Fowler and DJ. (Agree totally that Furyk and Mahan are locks to be picked.) I give DJ some slack because of his injury, but he’s pretty proven top-10 guy, and has had a solid summer.
I don’t even think Snedeker is in the conversation, right or wrong. It’s Fowler or DJ. Almost any other situation it’s Fowler but with the way he has played since about the 4th on Sunday at the Memorial it still leaves hope for Johnson. Not to mention I think Fowler has only played 4 times since Memorial. Makes Tiger look like Dana Quigley
Mahan and Furyk deserve to get in; I guess Stricker has to be in or Tiger will throw a hissy fit. He’s one of the top 4 or 5 American players anyway (the Ryder cup ranking notwithstanding).
As Paul Azinger once said, when in doubt, pick the biggest hitter. In match play, even PGA TOUR players get intimidated by big bombers. I like Dustin Johnson, but he hasn’t exactly distinguished himself this year. Ricky can go deep, but where has he been for the last 2 months?
Personally, I’d like to see DLIII pick a guy like Kyle Stanley, Robert Garrigus, or even Gary Woodland. They’re all young, big hitters with interesting stories behind their respective careers.
If he can show any form in the Fed Ex I think it will be Fowler. Everyone wants Fowler, players, sponsors, etc, he has a win so DLIII has something to fall back on as to why he was picked. Not to bag on your outside the box thinking but Kyle Stanley has had a Mark Wilson type year. Play well on the west coast and then just completely disappear. Everyone knows Gary Woodland is retooling the swing so for that alone, he does not merit a spot. But going by the numbers, he is not even qualified for the Fed Ex Cup. Robert Garrigus is a excellent pick. Seems like a guy that could succeed especially on a US soil year.
Mentioned him in the other thread, but he hasn’t come up here. But I think that if you can’t get behind DJ (injured earlier this year, still getting back) or Fowler (struggled this summer), Bill Haas may be next in line for that final spot. He’s a little inconsistent but as a FedEx Cup winner, and even winning in LA which is a big tourney, those credentials should put him pretty close. Definitely over Snedeker and Garrigus. And I may be talking myself into the final spot over Fowler and DJ even, I like his wins so much.
I think the idea of a mini tryout based on 3 heavy duty tournaments coming up is a good one. All of the above (DJ,Fowler, BVP, Snedeker, Haas), are eligible, lets see who has the hot hand. Hunter, Stricker, Furyk are in unless they get injured or bail.