Name Your Team USA Ryder Cup Squad

[acerimusdux]

I was sure it was going to be Bradley, Mahan, and Simpson 24 hours ago, but Kirk's victory changes things. Kirk was on the bubble a month ago, and if you told me he'd win in the playoffs, I would have thought it would be good enough to play his way on the team.

Yeah, that's the thing. Here's the 10-15 in Ryder Cup points through the PGA championship:

10 Dufner

11 Moore

12 Todd

13 Bradley

14 Kirk

15 Simpson

I was mistaken above about a replacement for Dufner, as he's not in the top 9. I think there had been speculation at some point about Kuchar, but he's obviously healthy and playing well, so no replacement needed, thus Moore is not on the team.

Anyway, if you had told me at the time that one of these guys would be leading the Fed Ex playoffs on Sept 1, I would have said, yeah that guy will make it. I started speculating on guys like Mahan and Snedeker when I thought none of these guys were playing that well. But that has changed in the last few weeks.

At this point, I think you can say Bradley, Kirk, and Simpson all have played well enough to deserve it.  Todd would be a tough cut, but while he was red hot from May-July, he's the one guy who didn't play that well in August.

Anyway, if Watson thought he had his team picked before yesterday, I think Kirk may well have thrown a monkey wrench into it.

[skydog]

Still not liking the Mahan pick. If I'm TWatson, I'm picking Bradley, Horschel, and flipping a coin between Simpson and Kirk.

[ScouseJohnny]

Still not liking the Mahan pick. If I'm TWatson, I'm picking Bradley, Horschel, and flipping a coin between Simpson and Kirk.

Mahan is a good matchplay golfer. Speaking as a European, I'm not liking him on the US team, either!

[Gunther]

I'd go Bradley, Snedeker and then a toss-up between Mahan and Simpson.  Sneds has the kind of passion the team needs and can get hot with the putter and start rolling in from all over.

The only way Sneds is even in the equation right now is his relationship with Watson. He is not in form and should not be chosen. Bradley fills the emotion void, Kirk just lit up McIlroy and Mahan has a recent win. I believe those should be the picks. 6 short hours away...

[FarawayFairways]

Bradley, Mahan and Simpson are all currently odds on

Kirk a shade odds against. This needn't mean anything of course, but in 'decision markets' those people whose livelihoods depend on 'knowing' these things tend to be correct with an uncanny level of accuracy (as they were on the European team) albeit the principals there were much more heavily odds-on

Europe won't be too upset to see Kirk in the team, albeit he probably represents a little bit of the unknown that we'd fear most. I wouldn't get too hung up about McIlroy, I sense America is more in fear of him than the regard the Europeans hold him in. He's only one player, and hasn't exactly ever really shown that he loves the RC or completely relishes this format. Europe doesn't place the stock in Rory that America placed in Tiger. He's been beaten early doors before without any evidence that European morale crumbled like America's did when Tiger and Phil got taken down twice on the opening down

If the US wants to build a strategy around McIlroy, then fine, but its very often better to concentrate 90% on your own team and 10% the opposition. I suspect that getting to Poulter might actually deliver the bigger pyschological blow as he's the teams heartbeat and Sergio is its passion. Rory's its leading player, but there's no single stand out totem like the Tiger Woods teams of the last decade

[ChrisP]

Still not liking the Mahan pick. If I'm TWatson, I'm picking Bradley, Horschel, and flipping a coin between Simpson and Kirk.

Problem with Mahan, Kirk and Horschel is outside of the last couple weeks winning or placing good finishes, they haven't done anything since the beginning of the year. Do you automatically earn a spot on the Ryder Cup team by winning a Fed Ex event and not doing well in any other tournaments? That's why I feel Bradley and Simpson are in is because they've consistently played well the last few months with several top-10 finishes.

Snedeker vs. Mahan, to me, is the big debate......If I were Watson, it's down to those two guys.

[ChrisP]

The only way Sneds is even in the equation right now is his relationship with Watson. He is not in form and should not be chosen.

Bradley fills the emotion void, Kirk just lit up McIlroy and Mahan has a recent win. I believe those should be the picks. 6 short hours away...

Disagree on Kirk. Great win, but outside of that, he hasn't done anything the last 6 months.

Another interesting fact....the team of Webb Simpson/Bubba Watson is 5-2 in team competition between the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. I think that coupled with Simpson's good play of late gives him a good chance of being picked.

[Gunther]

Disagree on Kirk. Great win, but outside of that, he hasn't done anything the last 6 months. Another interesting fact....the team of Webb Simpson/Bubba Watson is 5-2 in team competition between the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. I think that coupled with Simpson's good play of late gives him a good chance of being picked.

Yes, I cited Webb's partnership with Bubba very early in this thread as a plus and reason he should be selected. But, Fowler can fill that role so I'm not sure what else Webber gives the team that Kirk doesn't. It's a crapshoot but I like Kirk's approach. We'll see...

[Chilli Dipper]

My reservation about Simpson is that he's a very grindy type of player, and that doesn't always translate well to match play. The core of the European team is made up of golfers with big, athletic games, and that's the kind of player the USA needs to recruit in its captain's selections; we're really missing Dustin Johnson in that regard. Bradley fits that kind of mold; so does Mahan. What sort of role does that twelfth man on the roster need to fill?

[dchoye]

I go with Hunter Mahan and Kegan Bradley.

The third pick not to sure, maybe Tom can select just two ?

I cant decide the third.

I like Webb but I think I would pick who's hot and seem like Chris Kirk is hot right now.

So I will choose Chris Kirk.

[ChrisP]

Yes, I cited Webb's partnership with Bubba very early in this thread as a plus and reason he should be selected. But, Fowler can fill that role so I'm not sure what else Webber gives the team that Kirk doesn't. It's a crapshoot but I like Kirk's approach. We'll see...

Honestly, I think Fowler would be great with Phil. I liked what I saw that last day of the PGA. I'm not high on Bradley, but I think he's a lock so not going to debate him.

[Gunther]

Honestly, I think Fowler would be great with Phil. I liked what I saw that last day of the PGA. I'm not high on Bradley, but I think he's a lock so not going to debate him.

They sure seem to have great chemistry, I hope Watson tries them together. Mahan used to be buds with Watson, maybe they can pair up. Dunno if this is correct but I have a perception that Watson isn't very well liked by his peers, generally. Could be wrong but that's the impression I get.

[RJH999]

So, when are the picks announced?

[Gunther]

So, when are the picks announced?

I think 5 or 6p CT today

[David in FL]

The "announcement" begins on GC at 6pm eastern.....coming up now. Scheduled for 2 hours, so no tell Ing when they'll finally actually announce it. Ugh.... :~(

[Dave2512]

I love the Ryder Cup but these announcements can be sleep inducing. In fact I did snooze through the Euro thing this AM.

[acerimusdux]

I think people are making too much of pairing well with Phil Mickelson or Bubba Watson. Practically any right handed golfer is going to be complimentary to Phil Mickelson or Bubba Watson. Do people really think there is anything special about Keegan Badley that made that a good team?

If Watson really wants to be strategic, maybe he should surprise everyone and reach for Brian Harman, just to have another lefty.

[Dave2512]

I think people are making too much of pairing well with Phil Mickelson or Bubba Watson. Practically any right handed golfer is going to be complimentary to Phil Mickelson or Bubba Watson. Do people really think there is anything special about Keegan Badley that made that a good team?

If Watson really wants to be strategic, maybe he should surprise everyone and reach for Brian Harman, just to have another lefty.

I don't think being lefty is the only consideration. Because Phil is amazing around the greens and iffy from the tee he needs to be paired with someone long and straight. It's the opposite with Bubba. He can be inconsistent on the greens and gets flustered easy so they need to pair him with someone that isn't.