Tiger will have to earn his way onto Ryder Cup team says Captain Tom Watson

[Deryck Griffith]

Waton's position is a fair one and could be an attempt to motivate Tiger.

That said, if Tiger doesn't earn enough points to make the team but is completely healthy by the time the Ryder cup arrives, it'll be EXTREMELY difficult to not choose him as a Captains pick; especially, considering if his ranking is still #1 or even top 5 in the world.

[prooneday]

Anyone think tiger will break the major record

[Gunther]

Tiger's new blog out, very interesting. He's only putting at this point with no timetable for even beginning to chip let alone pitch, wedges, irons, etc. He didn't sound too optimistic about returning but obviously he'd like to accelerate. Listening to docs, taking the prudent course but having read that, I don't believe we'll see him playing this season.

[Wally Fairway]

I guess it depends what Watson means my earn his way onto the team.

If it means that he has to be playing tournament golf, making cuts, etc - then I agree he has to earn his way.

If it means he needs to have multiple top 10 finishes - then I think Watson will get tons of pressure to have the biggest name in golf on the team.

Look it is the Ryder Cup - he can have Tiger play 1 team event either on Friday or Saturday and then play an individual match.

[skydog]

Personally, I'm glad Tom isn't coming out with the "if he's healthy, he'll be on the team" bit...to me that just spits in the face of all the good U.S. players trying to earn their way on the team this year by saying that some guy who can't even swing the club right now is a lock to take a spot away from one of you.

Obviously, it's too soon to say anything one way or the other. I would hope that even if Tiger is back by the PGA but not close to 100%, that he would have the decency to go Tom and tell him that he needs to sit this one out. Otherwise, I worry that Tom would almost have no choice but to pick him for the sole reason of avoiding the huge media backlash and criticism that would ensue if he doesn't pick him...especially if he doen't pick him and we don't bring the Cup home.

[Deryck Griffith]

Tiger's new blog out, very interesting. He's only putting at this point with no timetable for even beginning to chip let alone pitch, wedges, irons, etc. He didn't sound too optimistic about returning but obviously he'd like to accelerate. Listening to docs, taking the prudent course but having read that, I don't believe we'll see him playing this season.

Here it is and I always wonder why people say Tiger doesn't revel much? He was pretty open, honest and revealing in this piece he wrote.

http://www.tigerwoods.com/news/2014/05/05/73724944/tigers-blog-rehab-going-well-but-is-a-slow-process/

[JKolya]

I guess it depends what Watson means my earn his way onto the team.

If it means that he has to be playing tournament golf, making cuts, etc - then I agree he has to earn his way.

If it means he needs to have multiple top 10 finishes - then I think Watson will get tons of pressure to have the biggest name in golf on the team.

Look it is the Ryder Cup - he can have Tiger play 1 team event either on Friday or Saturday and then play an individual match.

I agree, it depends on the interpretation of "earn," or "make it," as Watson said. If he means that literally, i.e., Tiger has to qualify and will not be a captain's pick than obviously that will be harder to do. But if it simply means get back playing and perform well enough to "earn" a captain's pick, then that is completely ambiguous.

Slightly OT but along the same lines - Tiger has had plenty of Ryder Cups. I would still prefer to see him come back, but at this point if I had to choose him earning a spot on either the Ryder Cup team or in the Olympics, I would rather see him in the Olympics. I think he has earned that. Unfortunately there is no wiggle room there though, and he has to qualify.

[14ledo81]

Personally, I'm glad Tom isn't coming out with the "if he's healthy, he'll be on the team" bit...to me that just spits in the face of all the good U.S. players trying to earn their way on the team this year by saying that some guy who can't even swing the club right now is a lock to take a spot away from one of you.

Obviously, it's too soon to say anything one way or the other. I would hope that even if Tiger is back by the PGA but not close to 100%, that he would have the decency to go Tom and tell him that he needs to sit this one out. Otherwise, I worry that Tom would almost have no choice but to pick him for the sole reason of avoiding the huge media backlash and criticism that would ensue if he doesn't pick him...especially if he doen't pick him and we don't bring the Cup home.

How so??  He is the number 1 ranked player in the world.

I did not read the whole thread, so there may be something I missed.

[amac]

No comparison to Pavin's decision in 2010 - 2011.  This isn't the same Tiger Woods.  Personally, I think he disrupts the team with his individual persona taking the spotlight.  He's not a team leader, just an outstanding individual talent.  What's more, his Ryder Cup record isn't that good.  For the #1 player in the world, it's downright bad.  To say that if he's playing, he should be a lock to make the team is a mistake.  He should have to earn his spot like everyone else and each week he's out, he's loosing ground.  However, the game of golf has been riding on Tiger's back for quite a while.  The game needs fans and according to TV, viewers are most interested in seeing TW on Sunday.  If he's healthy, i'm sure there will be plenty of pressure to include him on the team.

[skydog]

How so??  He is the number 1 ranked player in the world.

I did not read the whole thread, so there may be something I missed.

To me, guaranteeing a spot to a guy who can't even swing a golf club right now would be disrespectful to all the guys competing week in and week out for a spot on the team. Maybe you disagree, but that's just my opinion. Being the number 1 in the OWGR doesn't mean much when you can't make a golf swing.

[jamo]

No comparison to Pavin's decision in 2010 - 2011. This isn't the same Tiger Woods. Personally, I think he disrupts the team with his individual persona taking the spotlight.  He's not a team leader, just an outstanding individual talent.  What's more, his Ryder Cup record isn't that good.  For the #1 player in the world, it's downright bad.  To say that if he's playing, he should be a lock to make the team is a mistake.  He should have to earn his spot like everyone else and each week he's out, he's loosing ground.  However, the game of golf has been riding on Tiger's back for quite a while.  The game needs fans and according to TV, viewers are most interested in seeing TW on Sunday.  If he's healthy, i'm sure there will be plenty of pressure to include him on the team.

How so? In 2010 he was a majorless golfer who had won 6 times the year before. In 2014 he's a majorless golfers who won 5 times the year before. His team leader-ness is unchanged, his Ryder Cup record is still mostly the same.

[newtogolf]

Tiger doesn't have a great record in Ryder Cups so if he's not 100% I would prefer he not get picked.   I think Watson should have waited to see what Tiger's physical condition was before making any comments about him.  I think we need a team that is going to win the Cup, not win a popularity contest.

[14ledo81]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 14ledo81

How so??  He is the number 1 ranked player in the world.

I did not read the whole thread, so there may be something I missed.

To me, guaranteeing a spot to a guy who can't even swing a golf club right now would be disrespectful to all the guys competing week in and week out for a spot on the team. Maybe you disagree, but that's just my opinion. Being the number 1 in the OWGR doesn't mean much when you can't make a golf swing.

I agree with the bolded part, but if Tiger can physically play, then I think he should be on the team.

[amac]

How so?

He wasn't coming off major back surgery and unable to play.  Slump is a slump, but not swinging for 8 weeks is a major set back.

[Chilli Dipper]

If Tiger comes back at the Open Championship (as he has stated his goal is), he will then be playing in three tournaments prior to the Ryder Cup cut-off date: the Open, WGC-Firestone, and the PGA. If I were the judge of Tiger's fitness heading into the Ryder Cup, top-20 finishes in two of those events would be enough to tell me he belongs on the team.

[jamo]

He wasn't coming off major back surgery and unable to play.  Slump is a slump, but not swinging for 8 weeks is a major set back.

He missed big parts of 2010 (self-imposed suspension after the cheating stuff, neck issues at the Players, plus he spent most of the year without a swing coach) and 2011 (knee and achilles after the Eisenhower Tree swing). You're right though, he will miss much more time this year.

[amac]

He missed big parts of 2010 (self-imposed suspension after the cheating stuff, neck issues at the Players, plus he spent most of the year without a swing coach) and 2011 (knee and achilles after the Eisenhower Tree swing).

You're right though, he will miss much more time this year.

Not sure if your timeline is accurate.  The Cup was played Oct. 1-4 in 2010 and Sept. 28-30 in 2012.  Sure, he w/d in May, but had FIVE months to recover from an inflamed disc.  And I don't think "lingering soreness" or personal problems is a good excuse.  He is a professional athlete and has access to the best physical therapist, message therapist, psychologist and drugs money can buy.  If Woods didn't feel he was in the right physical and mental condition to play, he should have manned up and backed out for the team's sake.  He played because he was good to go.

But, I yield.  You are right.  The decision Watson is facing - evaluating TW's physical condition to play - is exactly the same / or not that different from Pavin's in 2010.  You can verify the timeline of TW's injuries here .

A chronology of Tiger Woods' injuries:

April 26, 2011 — Reveals that he has a minor sprain of medial collateral ligaments in left knee and minor strain of his left Achilles', and that he will miss the Wells Fargo Championship.

Dec. 11, 2010 — Has cortisone shot in his right ankle because of lingering soreness in his Achilles'.

May 9, 2010 — Withdraws on the seventh hole of the final round at The Players Championship with what he fears is a bulging disk. He later says it was inflammation of a joint in his neck. He doesn't miss a start, returning a month later at the Memorial.

December 2008 — Ruptures the Achilles' tendon in his right leg.

[iacas]

Tiger doesn't have a great record in Ryder Cups so if he's not 100% I would prefer he not get picked.

No Americans who have played a few have a great record. And remember most of the matches he plays are team matches, so his partners can affect his record as well.