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

[FarawayFairways]

It'll be interesting to see the identity of the "four or five players" who've agreed to accompany Watson to Gleneagles next week from the "20 or so" who were asked. "Most of them can't make it, they're playing the Scottish Open or the John Deere Classic", Tom explained as reported in today's paper. Just so you know, Gleneagles to Aberdeen is about 2 hours by road, and the hotel has a heliport. At this time of year in the lower Highlands, you get about 18 hours of daylight. I wonder how many of those playing Aberdeen would have been able to find a few hours in return for a lucrative sponsored gig?

British media having a mild chuckle this morning that only a "palty number of his prospective team accepted his invitation" (Keegan and Jim). Watson said originally that he'd asked "up to 20 players" when he announced that he was leading a scouting party into Gleneagles, and that "four or five" had accepted..... urm two turned up!

Makes this sound a bit empty in context as he also gave his press conference yesterday

"the way America came back against Belgium showed true grit. That's exactly what I'm looking for on this Ryder Cup team - never give up"

Well I have to say credit to Jim Furyk, he was one I would have thought, thought himself to be above this kind of thing. Without saying who, the report notes that three players (presumably Mickelson being amongst them) played at Aberdeen (about 2 hours from Gleneagles) and that another half dozen remain unaccounted for. Six played in the John Deere (legitimate excuse) whereas Matt Kuchar, Patrick Reed, and Jason Dufner have all been seen at Hoylake instead

[newtogolf]

British media having a mild chuckle this morning that only a "palty number of his prospective team accepted his invitation" (Keegan and Jim). Watson said originally that he'd asked "up to 20 players" when he announced that he was leading a scouting party into Gleneagles, and that "four or five" had accepted..... urm two turned up!

Makes this sound a bit empty in context as he also gave his press conference yesterday

"the way America came back against Belgium showed true grit. That's exactly what I'm looking for on this Ryder Cup team - never give up"

Well I have to say credit to Jim Furyk, he was one I would have thought, thought himself to be above this kind of thing. Without saying who, the report notes that three players (presumably Mickelson being amongst them) played at Aberdeen (about 2 hours from Gleneagles) and that another half dozen remain unaccounted for. Six played in the John Deere (legitimate excuse) whereas Matt Kuchar, Patrick Reed, and Jason Dufner have all been seen at Hoylake instead

Golf by it's nature is an individual sport, not a team sport.  With a Major this week, guys aren't going to mess around with their Open preparation to get together for a Ryder team scouting party.  IMO, Watson didn't help himself or the team by announcing the number of invites or the number of people that turned up for it.

[FarawayFairways]

Yet the team that comes together as a team the most, keeps winning. I also recall America's two unbeatable indviduals being paired together at the K-Club for three consecutive rounds and getting absolutely tonked. Team spirit goes a long way when you're required to dig deep and find extra (as Europe has had to do in the last two cups)

Those who played at Aberdeen could have taken Gleneagles in (get a better night's sleep at Gleneagles!). I'm sure they wouldn't be required to do the 2 hour drive themselves and probably move around in helicopter

Having said that, I'm not so sure that some of the principal reasons why team Europe has been able to lift itself for the last 20 odd years will apply here to the degree that they have historically

I think there's a bit of a narrative appearing in the UK media at least (not that the UK media will be any influence on the outcome other than potentially stoking up a hostile crowd - which it isn't doing yet). Anyway, it goes something like this

Tom = A good patriotic man, soaked in the traditions of the Ryder Cup and golf

Team = money driven egotistical individuals who feign patriotism for 3 days every 2 years but who will choose cash everytime despite having no obvious need for a few dollars more

[FarawayFairways]

With a Major this week, guys aren't going to mess around with their Open preparation to get together for a Ryder team scouting party.  IMO, Watson didn't help himself or the team by announcing the number of invites or the number of people that turned up for it.

As Jim Furyk hits the front in the very same Major that he was prepared to mess his preparation about for, one is suddenly inclined to question the value of over-doing the practise thing?

Who is to say that a gentle scouting party and a few relaxed holes in a better quality hotel up at Gleneagles with someone who has actually won the tournament 5 times (could have been 7) isn't better preparation than spending it down in the Liverpool hothouse? Doesn't seem to have done Jim any harm on this evidence to date

[9iron]

I'd make Tiger qualify too. If he is good enough, then he'll do it. If not, then take the 12 guys who DID QUALIFY.

[FarawayFairways]

Nine plus the next three? I doubt Tom will do that, he'll want to use his picks

I still think the jury is out on Tiger. One putt away from missing the cut, but by the same token it hasn't be the sort of shocker some thought possible either (including me). He's starting to look like a streaky fourball player

The Centenary course is the longest inland course in Scotland, and a few members I know up there who played it 2 weeks ago reckon that the rough is longer than they've ever seen it. I'm not sure they're going to set it up for Tiger, but then I'm not sure they necessarily identify him as the threat. On balance I'd still lean towards not picking him

I sense the balance of the American team is changing as the largely failed generation pass the baton. It was something Mickelson hinted at, at Medinah, although it was a world away from saying it had happened (Phil won a major less than 12 months later). You sense that there is a transition taking place though, the likes of Bubba, Jordan, Ricky, and Keegan need to get up on the front line now, whilst Tiger, Phil, and Jim take supporting roles. If America goes with their old guard, you increasingly suspect they'll be beaten again, although I think this is much, much closer than some people keep telling me its going to be.

The McGinlay picks will be interesting, as in Westwood, Donald, and Poulter he's got three with superb cup records and pedigree, but all of whom are looking a bit flakey. I wouldn't be shocked to see Donald miss out, especially given the Gleneagles record of Mollinari (either of them thinking about it). Gallagher is another who seems to be getting a head of steam up at the right time. Sooner or later some of the European stalwarts will also exit stage left, and one is inclined to wonder if that time hasn't arrived too for Westy, and Luke's form just hasn't been good enough, even if has an awesome foursomes record and keeps the ball in play as well as any

[iacas]

Quote http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/tiger-woods-tom-watson-ryder-cup-british-open-2014 :

After missing more than three months following back surgery, Woods remains far outside the top-nine in qualifying points who automatically make the team. After a disappointing British Open, Woods would need a good finish at the WGC-Bridgestone and the PGA Championship to even qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs. So he’ll likely need one of Watson’s three captain’s picks to make the Ryder Cup team that’s going to Gleneagles, Scotland in September. Woods thinks he should get one.

“I would say yes. But that's my position, my take on it,” Woods said after his final round of the British Open. “He's the captain. Obviously it's his decision. He's going to field the best 12 players that he thinks will win the Cup back. And I hope I'm on that team.”

[FarawayFairways]

Mickelson was asked the same/ similar question about his prospects. Perhaps thinking a few shots ahead, Phil might have worked out that a situation could even arise where the two of them might find themselves in competition for a place yet. His answer is mildly revealing under the circumstances

"If I don't get in on my own I don't know if I'll have played well enough this year to deserve a spot."

Another way of saying if I haven't played well enough, than Tiger sure as hell hasn't?

Also Mickelson makes little attempt to stand on his record and has framed his answer within the context of current form. Rather amusingly Tom was asked about it on completing his own round, and enquired as to how Tiger was doing

"is he under par?"

the journos took moderate delight in informing him that he wasn't, and giving him Tiger's present score. Watson's alleged to have grimaced and said "that's not good" before saying, "perhaps we should pick the guy who shot 68"

Seems to be some suggestion/ rumour that Tom's told him that if he doesn't make the Fed Ex, then he's not on the team - over to you Tigger

[FarawayFairways]

"He could well make the team"

"He wants to be on the team"

I know if I were trying to patch a 'team' together, and I'd done what Tom did at Gleneagles (seemingly for two days) and Keegan Bradley made the effort to join me, I couldn't fail other than to be marking that down as a positive. Also Bradley played well at Medinah (with Phil)

http://www.rydercup.com/europe/multimedia/video/team-usa-scouts-ryder-cup-course-gleneagles

It's that old business about giving the job to the person who wants it most etc

The likelihood is that the RC will come down to hunger and who is prepared to dig deepest, by dint of deed KB must have scored some brownie points here and gone someway towards impressing Watson that he wants the gig, rather than simply calling a press conference, or putting out a press release to tell the world he does. Judge people by what they do, not what they say etc

[DwightC]

FF--

I assume when Watson said 'the guy who shot 68' he was referring to himself?  It would be pretty funny if Tom Watson had a 'Dick Cheney' moment and actually did pick himself.

FYI, in the interests of 'two nations separated by a common tongue', Dick Cheney was the senior Republican politician who in the 2000 U.S. presidential election was appointed by the party's nominee (GWBush) to head up the selection effort for a vice presidential nominee.  He dutifully did so, led the search effort, and came back with the recommendation that the best available choice was . . . Dick Cheney.  Not to get political, but I sense Watson's a better man than that.  In a similar effort at clarification, was the heckling fan who was ejected thrown out for calling McIlroy a 'taig' and is that term as derogatory in the UK as wikipedia indicates it is?

[MS256]

Maybe Tiger plays better between now and then but if not I wouldn't want to be in Watson's shoes making a pick. As somebody that only sporadically watches golf if Tiger isn't in the mix (case in point today watched holes 13 through 15 and then fell asleep) I hope he plays but if I didn't think he deserved it I wouldn't pick him.

[Mulligan Jeff]

I don't see Tiger qualifying in points to make the Ryder Cup Team. With that being said it would be something special to see Tiger approach Tom Watson in an effort to assist him in a support role for the team. Tiger has much to offer the U.S. Team in terms of experience, focus and mental toughness.

[tmac20]

I do think that Tiger Woods deserves to make the Ryder Cup team as a Captain's pick regardless of his quality of play in the WGC event and PGA Championship coming up. He has too much experience and too good of a record to leave off the team.

[RandallT]

Tom Watson could just say "if I beat you at Liverpool, you're off the team." If nothing else, that guarantees that everyone on the US team shot even par or better at a major on British soil, but that criterion does eliminate Tiger :)

[David in FL]

Anyone who could honestly say today that they would recommend that Watson pick Tiger is delusional..... ......or a Euro fan.

[Gunther]

I do think that Tiger Woods deserves to make the Ryder Cup team as a Captain's pick regardless of his quality of play in the WGC event and PGA Championship coming up. He has too much experience and too good of a record to leave off the team.

His record is crap. We need new blood who don't have a memory about the last 15 years. Tiger, out of the Ryder Cup, please.

[ron273]

Anyone who could honestly say today that they would recommend that Watson pick Tiger is delusional..... ......or a Euro fan.

Go Europe!!:-D

[FarawayFairways]

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmac20

I do think that Tiger Woods deserves to make the Ryder Cup team as a Captain's pick regardless of his quality of play in the WGC event and PGA Championship coming up. He has too much experience and too good of a record to leave off the team.

His cup experience is that of a loser. Similarly, his individual record is the same. If he brings that to the table again as a vice captain or a player, Europe win. It's that straight-forward. America needs a more imaginative and daring answer than the Tiger and Phil show. Europe really ain't scared of either, and we'll happily face them. We're more weary of a big hitting slightly unknown element. Build the team round Ricky, Jordan, Dustin and Bubba and I think you have chance. Send out the usual suspects though, and all things being equal (which of course they never are) but all things being equal, you'll lose again.

The best thing flowing for you at the moment that I detect at least, is the level of intensity that is normally starting to build on the European side by this time, isn't really there, but we have time to crank it up