Zinger & Faldo Ryder Cup Captains

[Baynative]

This is a great move for '08. The genuine competitive desire to win runs deep in both men, but so does respect for the game and the spirit of sport. I am looking forward to the next tilt.

Azinger made some changes to how the selection will be handled. He is basing stats on money won in majors and has FOUR captain's picks.

[Wood]

Azinger made some changes to how the selection will be handled. He is basing stats on money won in majors and has FOUR captain's picks.

From PGA Tour Site: " One point will be awarded for every $1,000 earned at the four majors in 2007 and TOUR events in 2008, with double points for the 2008 majors. Opposite-field events will be worth only a half-point for every $1,000. The other major change is that Azinger will get four captain's picks instead of two. But it was unclear when he would make those picks. " Am I reading this right that only majors will matter next year in terms of Ryder Cup points? If this is the case, I'm all for it. The selection process should be about the 2008 season, and who is hot then. What are opposite-field events anyway?

[Thrash13]

The opposite-field events are like the BC Open (opposite to British Open) and the ones opposite the World Golf Championship events. Basically, the weaker-fielded events.

I like the changes, but who knows if they will work.

[Baynative]

The extra Captain's picks allow more leverage in naming who is hot at the moment. I've always thought that sometimes the team is weakened a bit by having an early tournament winner in the roster beacuse of the money even thought they haven't made a cut in five or six outings.

I guess it works the same for both teams, but being able to take a good look at those who are hot in the month of the matches seems to make sense.

I think Zinger/Faldo will bring a good atmosphere of congeniality to the match.

[Thrash13]

I know I might get some heat for this, and I have absolutely nothing against Paul Azinger. But does anyone else think there were more deserving choices? The same can be said for Tom Lehman as well, but I was just wondering what everyone thought. It seems most are ok with the Zinger though.

Whatever happened to Mark O'Meara being an option? Was he too pissed after getting passed over last time, or is just wanting to focus on the Champions Tour?

Anyway, I guess there aren't many other options, but it doesn't seem like the U.S. captains are ever very accomplished compared to their European counterparts.

[sungho_kr]

They are both classy men and gentlemen, should be fun to watch and see how emotional they can get!!!!

[Puttin4Bird]

I know I might get some heat for this, and I have absolutely nothing against Paul Azinger. But does anyone else think there were more deserving choices? The same can be said for Tom Lehman as well, but I was just wondering what everyone thought. It seems most are ok with the Zinger though. Whatever happened to Mark O'Meara being an option? Was he too pissed after getting passed over last time, or is just wanting to focus on the Champions Tour? Anyway, I guess there aren't many other options, but it doesn't seem like the U.S. captains are ever very accomplished compared to their European counterparts.

I agree with you Cody, especially in the 2008 event. Faldo will absolutely bring more credibility to his role as captain. I am almost positive that he will be a better captain, and that is NOTHING against Paul Azinger on my part at all.

I think that the new changes in the point system for qualification will help a bit, the extra captain's picks will really help but it goes beyond that as far as the reasons why the U.S. hasn't been able to pull it out lately. They just simply don't want it as bad as the Euros do. This is my opinion anyway. I think a captain that the U.S. team absolutely respects and would die before they lose a match for is what would really help more than anything. They need to bring in Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus as co-captains. You think those American Ryder Cup members in 08 or 2010 would want to let down their duo of captains in that case? I don't see them struggling quite as much under those 2.

[Baynative]

I know I might get some heat for this,

I'm an O'Meara fan, so that would have been fine with me. Same with Jacobson. Azinger seems like a great choice, though.

Are there any set guidelines about how they pick a captain?

[Thrash13]

I don't know of any guidelines, but someone else might know of some if there are any. I was watching Golf Central last night, and they showed a little recap of Azinger's last 15 or 20 years. It was a pretty cool video, and I feel better having him as the captain after seeing all he has gone through and overcome in the past two decades.

He already stirred Tiger's pot a little though by saying he wouldn't ever be a very good team leader basically. I can't remember how he said it exactly, but it was good stuff. He also mentioned something about splitting the best players on the team, so that could be interesting to see.

It's almost two years away, but I'm already excited.

[iacas]

I don't know of any guidelines, but someone else might know of some if there are any. I was watching Golf Central last night, and they showed a little recap of Azinger's last 15 or 20 years. It was a pretty cool video, and I feel better having him as the captain after seeing all he has gone through and overcome in the past two decades.

There's no actual criteria. They could choose me if they wanted to. The unwritten criteria, which hasn't always been followed, goes something like this: good player with a PGA (the major, not the tour) victory in the twilight or well past his prime on the PGA Tour.

And, while there may be better Ryder Cup captains available, given Faldo's pre-existing selection, Azinger was the best choice for 2008. The rivalry they have is palpable and will only add to the excitement, media coverage, and - in the end - $$$ to the event. Azinger is about as outspoken as it gets, too, so I'm looking forward to two years of hearing what's on his mind.

[The Turlock Kid]

There's no actual criteria. They could choose me if they wanted to. The unwritten criteria, which hasn't always been followed, goes something like this: good player with a PGA (the major, not the tour) victory in the twilight or well past his prime on the PGA Tour.

I'd vote for you as team captain. Smart-asses always make good captains.

So they have to be active PGA Tour players? They couldn't have a Nicklaus- or Palmer-type ("retired legend") figure? (I know they had Nicklaus as Presidents Cup Cpt a few years ago. Remember that one where they called it a draw? What was that crap??)

[chan]

In recent Ryder Cups, the team hasn't played nearly well enough where a
captain's strategy might give the US team an edge to winning the matches.

As for Azinger, he's not afraid of being direct, which may rub some potential
team members the wrong way. After the recent results, I'm all for it.

For me there were 2 other candidates. Larry Nelson a multiple major winner
and Ryder Cup stalwart of the 70s. My other candidate from left field would've
been Tom Watson.

Nelson has the resume, but most of the players today probably has little idea of what he accomplished. Maybe having no personal ties might have helped.

Watson is a guy that would've commanded respect, because potential team members have all seen the tape where he started down their hero Nicklaus
1-on-1 and beat the Golden Bear.

In a future post I will look at the new team selection process and play it out from a past year to see how it would've changed a "mock" team.

[BruceH]

Azinger's biggest problem is that no matter how they run the selection criteria he is still going to end up with Phil Mickelson on the team.

Any European that draws a match against Mr Hagen-Daz is going to licking their lips at the prospect of laying another beating down on him yet if he maintains his rankings he is going to be in the top couple of picks. Would you have chosen him at #2 if you had free range to select anyone you wanted? No way I would.

[The Turlock Kid]

Ha ha! Mr. Haagen-Daaz? Beautiful.

Yeah they need to get rid of Mickelson on the Ryder Cup. It's kind of lame that they don't look at his past (failing) record. That should be reason enough to keep him from playing in the Ryder Cup. They should do a Ryder Cup All-Star Team and only judge the US players based on winning percentage.

[Thrash13]

It's kind of lame that they don't look at his past (failing) record.

Fortunately for Phil, his past Ryder Cup record was very solid until the last two outings. Since he has had this new "major championship" schedule, he has fallen apart when it comes to any events after The PGA Championship. Before 2004, he played those late-season events (including The Ryder Cup) with the same enthusiasm as he did the early-season events.

[Baynative]

Those of us who are awed by the talent and the money of PGA golf forget that someone who travels constantly for 15 or more years just might get a little burnt out and find new priorities in life. Especially, with a growing family.

I suppose Phil could respectively say that making a couple of million in 8 or 10 tournaments is good enough for him and he has chosen not to include himself in the Ryder Cup selection process.

Of course then everyone would slam him for not suporting the team. He can't win, no matter what.

[SSandlin]

Growing as in his waist line? All kidding aside, you have to have some level of respect for a man who puts his family ahead of his occupation. Even if it's on display to the point that it's overboard. I don't think Tiger's record in the Ryder Cup is really all that impressive, although you don't question his ability to take over a match especially in the singles.

I wonder if they'll mic Azinger and Faldo during the matches? Based on the banter they have during the tournaments, it might be interesting if they start any trash talk during the closing holes of a match.

[Thrash13]

Those of us who are awed by the talent and the money of PGA golf forget that someone who travels constantly for 15 or more years just might get a little burnt out and find new priorities in life. Especially, with a growing family.

Nobody told Phil he had to be a professional athlete either. That kind of stuff just comes with the territory. It's like that in every sport. And I can't imagine someone not wanting to play for their country in either The Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup. That sends a chill down my spine just thinking about it. I'd have an entire different level of dislike for Phil if that was the case.

Like I've said before, the fans ultimately put the money in the athletes' pockets, so we definitely have a right to gripe about nearly everything if we so desire.