2012 Ryder Cup Standings

[Wansteadimp]

Originally Posted by Chilli Dipper

The European roster is all but wrapped up with one week to go. Ian Poulter could leapfrog Martin Kaymer into the last automatic slot with a good week at the Barclays, and so could Nicolas Colsaerts at Gleneagles, there won't be enough World Ranking points at stake this weekend for anyone else to play their way onto the team. Furthermore, it is doubtful that a European golfer can make a compelling argument that he should be included on the team in place of one of those three aforementioned players.

Barclays points don't count -

The Ryder Cup World Points List will comprise Official World Golf Ranking Points won by a Member from each tournament in which he participates between September 1, 2011 and August 20 ^th 2012 and thereafter in the 2012 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles ONLY .

Poulter cant make it automatically he is a guaranteed pick though.

As for a compelling argument against Kaymer, me and my 87 net on Sunday is better than Kaymer's current form.

Don't particularly want Harrington in the team how he is putting right now, I'd probably pick Quiros and pair him with Colsaerts - it would be fun but a loss all the same.

[Texian]

OK, I can't hold it any longer.

I just have this overwhelming intuition that there's no way the USA can win the 2012 Ryder Cup. I don't even have to wait until the teams are named.

I haven't looked at specific stats, compared international rankings, whatever. They just seem to have all the momentum, and we have the negativism (Tiger not winning a major this year, Phil being so-so, etc.).

Hope I'm wrong.

[mvmac]

http://thesandtrap.com/t/60725/2012-ryder-cup-standings

[Chilli Dipper]

Originally Posted by Texian

OK, I can't hold it any longer.

I just have this overwhelming intuition that there's no way the USA can win the 2012 Ryder Cup. I don't even have to wait until the teams are named.

I haven't looked at specific stats, compared international rankings, whatever. They just seem to have all the momentum, and we have the negativism (Tiger not winning a major this year, Phil being so-so, etc.).

Hope I'm wrong.

I'm not seeing what you're seeing. I would argue that the United States should be slight-to-moderate favorites going into the Ryder Cup.

• The American team, as a whole has been in much better form than the Europeans in 2012. All eight qualifiers for the American team have won PGA Tour events this year; only Jim Furyk and Bo Van Pelt are winless among the players in contention for one of Davis Love III's captain's picks. On the European side, there are four players who haven't won on either the PGA or European tours this year: Graeme McDowell, Peter Hanson, Martin Kaymer, and probable captain's pick Ian Poulter.
• The Americans also have the edge in 2012 majors, with two trophies compared to Europe's one. Keegan Bradley, Bubba Watson, and Webb Simpson have all won majors since the last Ryder Cup; only Rory McIlroy has on the European side.
• One possible advantage the Europeans might have is in Ryder Cup experience. It would appear right now that probable captain's pick Nicolas Colsaerts will be the only golfer on the European team without previous Ryder Cup experience, while the American team will be fielding at least three rookies (Jason Dufner, Bradley, Simpson). Whether that experience will be a factor in next month's matter is up for debate.

[michaeljames92]

Don't count out the Europeans. These guys feed off matchplay, it is no wonder that 'weak' European teams have mopped the floor with apparently 'unbeatable' US teams, just because they play as a team much better. The partnered matches will decide the fate of the cup.

[Chilli Dipper]

Nick Watney might have played his way into the discussion for captain's picks at the Barclays...if Brandt Snedeker and Dustin Johnson hadn't gone 2-3 behind him.

[k-troop]

Originally Posted by Chilli Dipper

Nick Watney might have played his way into the discussion for captain's picks at the Barclays...if Brandt Snedeker and Dustin Johnson hadn't gone 2-3 behind him.

Watney is 30th in the standings.  I don't see him being picked, even if he had won by 20 shots.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by k-troop

Watney is 30th in the standings.  I don't see him being picked, even if he had won by 20 shots.

Somebody yesterday (I think it might have been Watney himself) said that Davis Love wanted to pick a "hot" player with one of his picks.  Certainly one week does not a hot streak make, but Watney has another week to show Love that he is on his game.  According to TGC, the first two captains picks are most likely going to Furyk and Stricker.  That means the last two are up for grabs between Mahan, Fowler, Snedeker, and maybe Dustin Johnson?  Mahan is the highest ranked, and Fowler and Snedeker are both playing well, so it seems like a real long shot for Watney.

I think he would have to pull a Sergio and follow up this win with a really, really good showing next week to get some buzz.

[mvmac]

European Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal announced Monday that Ian Poulter and Nicolas Colsaerts have been added to the team as captain’s picks. Ol azabal’s decision was pretty simple, Poulter and Colsaerts were Nos. 11 and 12, respectively, on the World Points list and narrowly missed qualifying for the team on points.

Read more

Quote:

This is Poulter’s fourth appearance in the Ryder Cup, and the 36-year-old Englishman already has established himself as one of Europe’s most dependable performers, owning an 8-3 career record in the biennial event. After receiving a captain’s pick for the 2008 matches, Poulter became the highest points-earner for either side at Valhalla, and two years ago he won three out of four possible points in Europe’s narrow victory over the U.S. in Wales.

“I think everyone of you would guess that Ian would be there, and that was a pretty good guess, not a difficult one,” Olazabal said during a news conference Monday at the Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire, Scotland. “His attitude and his sprit in the Ryder Cup has always been great, and he’s one of those players who likes to be in that situation; it brings the best out of him.”

“I’m absolutely thrilled,” Poulter said via telephone. “To get the call last night from Jose was a great moment.”

Colsaerts, 29, won the World Match Play Championship and is considered one of the longest hitters on the European Tour. The Belgian could have bumped Martin Kaymer out of the 10 ^th and final automatic spot with a T-2 finish or better last week at Gleneagles, but his T-19 wasn’t enough to improve his position. He is the lone rookie on the European side.

“It’s been a pretty long summer,” Colsaerts said. “Every time I put myself in a situation where I could seal the deal, it was always in the back of my mind. I’ve gone from nervous about making the team to now nervous to getting there. But it’s a good problem to have.”

Said Olazabal, “He’s made the extra effort trying to make the team, and he showed me that he really wanted it.”

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Somebody yesterday (I think it might have been Watney himself) said that Davis Love wanted to pick a "hot" player with one of his picks.  Certainly one week does not a hot streak make, but Watney has another week to show Love that he is on his game.  According to TGC, the first two captains picks are most likely going to Furyk and Stricker.  That means the last two are up for grabs between Mahan, Fowler, Snedeker, and maybe Dustin Johnson?  Mahan is the highest ranked, and Fowler and Snedeker are both playing well, so it seems like a real long shot for Watney.

I think he would have to pull a Sergio and follow up this win with a really, really good showing next week to get some buzz.

If he is looking for a  hot player then no way Mahan makes it.  I like Hunter but while he had an excellent start to the year he has not played well since the Masters.  In the 12 events he has played since then he has 1 top 10, 3 other top 20s, 5 in the range T37 to T55, and 3 missed cuts including his last 2 events.

[mvmac]

Alan Shipnuck spent the Barclays week fitting in some range chats between sightseeing and golf, and senses that Jim Furyk is most definitely not a lock for the U.S. Ryder Cup team.

Captain Love makes his picks Tuesday, September 4th, giving this year's Deutsche Bank Championship extra meaning in the selection derby since he reiterates to Shipnuck that he is more than willing to pick a golfer playing well in the final two weeks.

Quote:

In talking to Love, reading the tea leaves of those around him and sifting through the driving range -innuendo at the Barclays, the latest consensus is that Stricker's a lock, Love has a man crush on Fowler, Furyk has been downgraded to a maybe, Snedeker's stock is surging, Mahan (who missed his second straight cut and has one top 10 in the last five months) is now a long shot and Watney and Johnson have such a similar skill set it's unlikely both would get the nod.

And regarding players rounding into form...

Quote:

"I've been saying I want a hot player," the captain added. "I felt all along these two weeks [the Barclays and Deutsche Bank] would identify that guy. Someone is going to play their way onto the team."

Pick or skip: Watney's Ryder Cup pros and cons

Quote:

Why pick: Love always has said that he wanted a hot player on his team, and no one in the game is hotter than Watney, who authored an impressive – and convincing – performance last week at Bethpage Black. For years, Watney has been one of the Tour’s preeminent ball-strikers, and he seemed to regain the steely putting stroke that led him to two victories in 2011. Watney would be a perfect fit for big and brawny Medinah, and his killer instinct in final rounds makes him an ideal singles player. He went 2-1-1 at the 2011 Presidents Cup in Australia, too, so you know he can handle the pressure.

Why skip: Don’t get drunk on one performance. Sure, Watney picked an ideal time to notch his first win of the season, but it doesn’t erase what had been a disappointing campaign for the 32-year-old who seemed poised to crack the top 10 in the world. Prior to The Barclays, he had mustered only three top-10s this season and plummeted down the world rankings, to 35 ^th . Love should reward the most consistently good player – not necessarily the one who got hot two weeks before the picks were announced.

[MEfree]

I`d much rather look at a 4-8 week period in determining a "hot" player with an emphasize on the most recent results.  I would tend to pick a player who is consistently very good rather than a guy who wins one week and misses the cut the next.  I think this is one reason why a guy like Luke Donald has a very good match play record.

With 1 top 10, 4 top 25s and 1 missed cut in his last 6 events, I would like to see Watney back up his win with at least a top 25 before I would move him from the very warm to hot category.

Last 6 Events

Stricker- 3 top 10s, 5 top 25s and no missed cuts

Watney- 1 Win/Top 10, 4 Top 25s, 1 missed cut

Bo Van Pelt- 3 Top 10s, 5 Top 25s, 1 missed cut

Dustin Johnson- 2 Top 10s, 3 Top 25s, no missed cuts

Robert Garrigus- 2 Top 4/10s, 4 Top 25s, 1 missed cut

Snedeker- 2 Top 3/10/25s, 1 missed cut

Fowler- 1 Top 25, 1 missed cut

Furyk- 1 Top 2/10/25, 3 missed cuts

Stricker is the only player who would definitely make my team regardless of the results this week.

With a mediocre Ryder Cup record, Furyk would have to win this week for me to consider him.

Fowler is in the hunt because of his success at the last Ryder Cup and win earlier this season, but I`d like to see him have a strong showing this week before putting him on the team.

Prior match play records, DL III`s sense of who the golf course favors and results this week will likely go a long way in determining who makes the team.

[mvmac]

Davis made his picks, don't agree with him leaving Mahan off the team, he's a good match play player.  Davis talked a lot about getting as much experience as he could on the team and getting the best putters.

Quote:

As expected, U.S. Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III didn’t veer very far off script with his four picks on Monday when he selected Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson and Brandt Snedeker to round out his team at Medinah.

Stricker and Furyk appeared to be low-hanging fruit in many respects. Both are Ryder and Presidents Cup veterans who can pair easily with an assortment of players and are good putters.

Johnson, who missed three months of the season with injury, will be making his second start in the biennial matches after a strong run-up to the selections that included top-10 showings in three of his last five starts and a tie for fourth on Monday at TPC Boston.

Stricker has played in the last two Ryder Cups and has a 3-3-1 overall record but, more importantly, has become an easy fit with Tiger Woods in recent matches, including a perfect 4-0 record at the 2009 Presidents Cup.

Despite an 8-15-4 Ryder Cup record, Furyk has also been a key part of recent American teams, including a perfect card (5-0) at last year’s Presidents Cup.

Snedeker, however, seemed to be the wild-card pick. The Ryder Cup rookie was passed over for a spot in last year’s Presidents Cup but seemed to solidify his spot on Love’s team with a torrid two-week run that included a runner-up showing at last week’s Barclays and a sixth-place finish on Monday at TPC Boston.

Bypassed for spots on the team were Hunter Mahan, ninth on the points list after the PGA Championship and the only American with multiple PGA Tour victories this season who is not on the team, and Rickie Fowler, who was 12 ^th in points at the deadline. Combined, the two players have posted just a single top-10 finish since July.

The Ryder Cup, pitting teams from the United States and Europe, will be held Sept. 28-30 at Medinah Country Club outside Chicago.

[turtleback]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Davis made his picks, don't agree with him leaving Mahan off the team, he's a good match play player.  Davis talked a lot about getting as much experience as he could on the team and getting the best putters.

Mahan has been lousy since the Masters, so there is no way I would have picked him.  My only change from what Davis did is that  would have picked Bo Van Pelt instead of Furyk.

[ThominOH]

Personally.. Love lost brownie points in my book..... If you look at the year's stats, Mahan deserved the pick over Furyk..  If you look at recent play for July and Aug, as Davis Love said he was doing.. VAN PELT beat them both.. I lost respect for Davis bs'ing us..  He picked Jim and Steve based on "personal" reasons.... PERIOD..  To paint it anything other then what it was is just being dishonest.. Shame on you Davis for excusing your Furyk pick..

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by turtleback

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvmac

Davis made his picks, don't agree with him leaving Mahan off the team, he's a good match play player.  Davis talked a lot about getting as much experience as he could on the team and getting the best putters.

Mahan has been lousy since the Masters, so there is no way I would have picked him.  My only change from what Davis did is that  would have picked Bo Van Pelt instead of Furyk.

It's becoming a made-for-television event and Furyk moves the needle more than Bo Van Pelt. Van Pelt is catching up in the ugly shirt department though.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by ThominOH

Personally.. Love lost brownie points in my book..... If you look at the year's stats, Mahan deserved the pick over Furyk..  If you look at recent play for July and Aug, as Davis Love said he was doing.. VAN PELT beat them both.. I lost respect for Davis bs'ing us..  He picked Jim and Steve based on "personal" reasons.... PERIOD..  To paint it anything other then what it was is just being dishonest.. Shame on you Davis for excusing your Furyk pick..

Personal reasons?  What personal favor or benefit would Furyk provide over Van Pelt or Mahan to Captain DL3?  I think Furyk is a fine pick to be honest... While I'm sure it was a difficult decision for Davis, I think I understand why he made the pick.

First, Furyk played exceptionally well in the last team event (Presidents Cup) last year.  In fact, Davis commented on this as being something they took into consideration.  And Furyk has a solid singles record - the final day when the cup is on the line.

Secondly, I believe that while he hasn't won this season, his record shows that he is consistent

World Golf Championship - Bridgestone T2nd

Majors... 11th, T4th, T34th, T42nd

Played in 22 events in 2012 - 5 top 10's (placed 2nd twice) and 11 top 25's.

He is pretty steady - and that is what you need with a guy who is a captains pick.  A guy who is going to show up and not crumble under pressure.

(1.) Van Pelt crumbled when he was paired with Tiger at Congressional.  And he crumbled when he was paired with Rory at the PGA - both final day pairings.  He faded heavily on the last three or so holes in both tournaments.  You could say Furyk did the same at the US Open (snap hook on 16) and then Firestone (mishap on 18).  Both players stumbled on some large stages.  But - again, you have to look at Furyk's historical record during these team events.  He is a fighter and will battle which I like over the unknown with Van Pelt.

Majors... T17, T59, CUT, T18

Played in 22 events in 2012 - 8 top 10's (highest finish was 2nd at AT&T; National) and 14 top 25's.

Van Pelt's biggest showings were at the World Golf Championships when he had 2x 8th place finishes... And the Players where he finished 7th.

I like Van Pelt - but I think he isn't as a sure bet as some on here think.

(2.) Mahan hasn't really done anything in the last half of the PGA season.  I think it would be more difficult to pick him when he hasn't performed - and doesn't have the history of playing on the Ryder Cup stage.  So I didn't think Furyk being picked over Mahan was a surprise.  It is hard to imagine a guy with two wins getting bounced from the team.  But it happened.  I like Mahan too - so I hope him getting snubbed gets a fire in his belly to take his game to the next level?

[MEfree]

True, he has a good Pres Cup and singles record.

I don`t agree with the consistency part- since the US Open, Furyk has 3 missed cuts and had 3 other finishes outside the top 33 to go along with 2 top 13s.  Watney had only 1 missed cut and no other finishes outside the top 33 with 3 top 13s.  Van Pelt 1 missed cut and no other finishes outside the top 26 with 3 top 8s.  Both those guys were much more consistent in a good way than Furyk the last few months.