Team USA Ryder Cup Selections

[jking]

There's no way I would pick Mahan for my team. No way. I don't have anything against the guy for saying what he said. He has his opinion and I'm sure he was saying what a lot of players out there are thinking... but I don't think there's any way you can spin what he says and come up with someone who actually WANTS to be on the team. I also bet more than a few of the players who have already made the team feel the same way or similar. If they do, tell them to stay home. Win or lose, I want 12 players on the team who want to be there and who are going to fight tooth and nail to win the Cup. I don't care if they are the most talented or even if they are playing their best. I want someone who is out there with the single purpose of winning and not someone who is going to be angry because they weren't able to wear their sponsor's logos during the competition.

[Harry Longshanks]

There's no way I would pick Mahan for my team. No way. I don't have anything against the guy for saying what he said. He has his opinion and I'm sure he was saying what a lot of players out there are thinking... but I don't think there's any way you can spin what he says and come up with someone who actually WANTS to be on the team. I also bet more than a few of the players who have already made the team feel the same way or similar. If they do, tell them to stay home. Win or lose, I want 12 players on the team who want to be there and who are going to fight tooth and nail to win the Cup. I don't care if they are the most talented or even if they are playing their best. I want someone who is out there with the single purpose of winning and not someone who is going to be angry because they weren't able to wear their sponsor's logos during the competition.

When did Mahan ever say (or even imply) that he didn't want to be on the team? When did he ever say that he was concerned about his sponsors?

Did you read the article? Mahan was talking about what other players had told him about why the U.S. had been successful in the President's Cup and not the Ryder Cup. Mahan's response was that Jack Nicklaus makes the President's Cup fun, and other players had told him that the PGA sucks all the fun out of the Ryder Cup. Mahan's comment about money was that the PGA doesn't really care about winning because they make a boatload of money either way. And because of that, they don't listen to the concerns of the U.S. players about all the hoopla that detracts from preparation and fun.

[golf_junkie27]

In researching some stats, I would take Campbell and Stricker. There is one player I would definitely not take:

He's 104th in putting, 136th in GIR, 161st in Birdie Average, 112th in scoring and 114th in putts per round. He's also missed the cut nearly 50% of the time. Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce to you Rocco Mediate.

Yeah, he had a great week at the U.S. Open but so what? I rather have guys who have played well, all year and have won tournaments. No disrespect to Rocco but he just does not cut it.

Ideally, I'd take someone who scrambles and putts like Chris Riley. He's top 5 in both categories. I'm just not sure who that player is.

[Thrash13]

Mediate's season is WAY overrated.

I won't say too much here though, other than my Thrash Talk tomorrow deals with who Zinger should take with his captain's picks. Keep an eye out for it. There is definitely one golfer on my list nobody is thinking about.

[BASHERBAKER69]

Mediate's season is WAY overrated.

I have noticed that DJ Trahan is playing in the Scandinavian Masters this week in an attempt to make the Ryder Cup team-perhaps he's doing it as he believes he can win over there.

I would include JJ Henry in the team as i think he's a good player. If i could pick a USA Ryder Cup 'B' Team this would be it: David Duval Rocco Mediate Lee Janzen Colt Knost Bubba Watson Fred Couples Johnson Wagner Mark O Meara Tom Watson Woody Austin Jack Nicklaus Davis Love III Reserves: John Daly, Shaun Micheel. If I could pick a European 'B' Team this would be it: Jean Van De Velde Colin Montgomerie Nick Dougherty Jose Maria Olazabal Nick Faldo Tim Dykes Jarmo Sandelin Jesper Parnevik Phil Price Bernhard Langer Reserves: Steve Webster, Paul Lawrie.

[Harry Longshanks]

Mediate's season is WAY overrated.

No argument. The question is whether he would get up for the Ryder Cup the way he did for the U.S. Open. It might be worth the risk, because his attitude is infectious. And if he does get up, he could pull the whole team with him.

[BASHERBAKER69]

I am already salivating over a European win at Valhalla!

[Harry Longshanks]

I am already salivating over a European win at Valhalla!

Tact is not your strong point, is it?

[lazebones]

If a few of these guys have some good rounds, I'd say his picks would be:
Bubba Watson (him and zinger are good friends and zinger likes his demeanor)
Brandt Snedeker (great swing, excellent putter, always a cool head)
I can't really think of any other 2 that really catch my eye right now but I would think they would be along the lines of Stricker, Austin, or Johnson. all very solid players and Would love to see them on the team.

[bogeyhitter25]

I'd take Stricker, Mediate, Johnson, and Snedeker.

[Eore]

why is everybody picking rocco?

i like him a lot, his attitude is great, but there are more deserving players who would (maybe) have a better Cup.

but its speculation if he gets picked, i hope he does well. i just see zinger giving younger guys who have played better Ryder Cup experience

[jrode]

I'd rather take someone who's been playing well and been hot recently over guys that have been playing alright the whole season.

Fact is, Rocco has been (other than this past weekend) been playing pretty darn good golf for the past two months.

[tglover44]

I agree with Colin Cowherd who says "In America, theres' two seasons: Football season and waiting-for-football season." I think Ben Curtis wearing the logos and colors of the local NFL team is the coolest thing in golf. There's a hundred PGA pros on the course every weekend sporting some financial/investment/consulting firm logo I've never heard of and don't care about. I still have no idea what the crap "KPMG" is on Phil Mickelson's cap, and I'm not going to take time to look it up. I'm sure they do one of the three things I just mentioned. Anyway, Ben wearing the NFL stuff is very intelligent marketing and in my opinion makes him the most creatively dressed guy on the course when he plays.

Enough of that.... I'd pick Steve Stricker, Woody Austin, JB Holmes (b/c he played golf for Kentucky if for no other reason), and Brandt Snedeker.

[Thrash13]

No argument. The question is whether he would get up for the Ryder Cup the way he did for the U.S. Open. It might be worth the risk, because his attitude is infectious. And if he does get up, he could pull the whole team with him.

That's a fair point, but if he doesn't get up for it, things could tailspin in a negative way. And besides, while he has been pretty healthy this year, those back issues could arise at any given time. I just think people have overestimated his season because of one good week at Torrey Pines. Nobody even cared when he finished T6 at Memorial two weeks before that.

[Harry Longshanks]

That's a fair point, but if he doesn't get up for it, things could tailspin in a negative way. And besides, while he has been pretty healthy this year, those back issues could arise at any given time. I just think people have overestimated his season because of one good week at Torrey Pines. Nobody even cared when he finished T6 at Memorial two weeks before that.

No argument from me on any of those points. It would definitely be a gamble. But if he performs well at the Barclays and Deutsche Bank, I think I would take it.

[drewman02ths]

Stricker
Holmes
O'Hair
Snedeker

I think Holmes will get picked because

A) he is deserving of it ( I think anyone from 9-20 is deserving because there aren't that many points that seperate these guys over a 2 year span)

B) he is a great match play player ( remember he had woods 3 down on the back nine and lost because woods put on the most insane putting clinic I have ever seen)

c) he has played valhalla more than anyone else especially since all the changes/ renovations have been made

d) he has the same swing coach as azinger

e) he is a very emotional player and I think having 2 guys from kentucky on the team will put the make the crowd go nuts

Imagine him and perry going out in the first match. The crowd would be nuts.

[PEZGolf]

ok... so the top 8 auto picks are as follows...

I agree with Rocco and Zach Johnson and Brandt Snedeker. My last choice would be Black Bart---Bryant----he has a second (Arnold Palmer) and third this year Byron Nelson), and has proven himself in the past---winning the Tour Championship with Tiger in the field and the Memorial. He plays tough courses well, and is excellent under pressure.

[ks8829]

Who are you 4 Ryder Cup Captain's Pick?

Below 8 are on the team

Phil Mickelson
Stewart Cink
Kenny Perry
Jim Furyk
Anthony Kim
Justin Leonard
Ben Curtis
Boo Weekley

my picks are:

JB Holmes
Rocco Mediate
Steve Stricker
Sean O'hara

Whos your 4 picks?


Azinger will make his picks on Sept 2, 10am