Should Bernhard Langer Get Picked for the Ryder Cup?

[Golfingdad]

As someone who finds Langer to be a detestable human being, ...

How come?  (I don't know anything about the guy except that he plays golf well and is German and wears cargo pants)

[RJH999]

How come?  (I don't know anything about the guy except that he plays golf well and is German and wears cargo pants)

I'm wondering the same thing, other than the fact that's he German and blew the 1991 ryder cup, he seems fine. I don't mind the guy

[ScouseJohnny]

I'm torn.

As someone who wants to see the U.S. team win, yes, I'd like to see the European team field Langer.

As someone who finds Langer to be a detestable human being, I don't want him to get that sort of publicity or in front of a microphone.

Bit harsh, that. He might be a God-botherer, but to each his own. Seems like a modest, pleasant sort of chap.

I'm wondering the same thing, other than the fact that's he German and blew the 1991 ryder cup, he seems fine. I don't mind the guy

He missed a 6 foot putt on the 18th, which is hardly blowing the competition. Faldo & Gilford getting spanked 7 & 6 were probably more culpable in that regard.

[chasm]

I'm wondering the same thing, other than the fact that's he German and blew the 1991 ryder cup, he seems fine. I don't mind the guy

Not to be picky, but "other than the fact that he's German ... he seems fine."? Is being German really sufficient to inspire dislike?

[RJH999]

Not to be picky, but "other than the fact that he's German ... he seems fine."? Is being German really sufficient to inspire dislike?

Lol I was joking.....ok, only half joking.

[chasm]

Lol I was joking.....ok, only half joking.

Yes, I knew that. Anti-German jokes are endemic where I come from. But it's interesting. Kaymer gets called boring and robotic, when as far as I can see he's quite an amusing intelligent guy. If he were British or American, he'd be regarded as outstandingly inventive, as well as consistent. Langer isn't especially demonstrative, but on the course he plays pretty much every shot in the book.

[RJH999]

Yes, I knew that. Anti-German jokes are endemic where I come from. But it's interesting. Kaymer gets called boring and robotic, when as far as I can see he's quite an amusing intelligent guy. If he were British or American, he'd be regarded as outstandingly inventive, as well as consistent. Langer isn't especially demonstrative, but on the course he plays pretty much every shot in the book.

Yes.

[mvmac]

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2014/7/30/langer-im-not-sure-im-on-the-radar-screen-of-paul-mcginley.html

“It’s up to the captain. I certainly feel my golf is worthy of playing in the Ryder Cup.”

Jacklin, Europe’s most successful captain of all time, said he would be considering Langer for a wildcard pick if he was in charge.

“Bernhard’s a great team man...and I’d be thinking very seriously indeed if I was Paul McGinley because even if the young guys had been here they wouldn’t have beaten his score,” said Jacklin who was working as a TV commentator at Porthcawl.

[Shindig]

How come?  (I don't know anything about the guy except that he plays golf well and is German and wears cargo pants)

For the record: my dislike of him has nothing to do with his ability to play golf, his national background, or his cargo pants. My dislike of him stems from some bigoted comments he made to the press a few years ago.

[RJH999]

For the record: my dislike of him has nothing to do with his ability to play golf, his national background, or his cargo pants. My dislike of him stems from some bigoted comments he made to the press a few years ago.

I did not know about this. Can you link them?

[Wansteadimp]

He missed a 6 foot putt on the 18th, which is hardly blowing the competition. Faldo & Gilford getting spanked 7 & 6 were probably more culpable in that regard.

Not to mention the huge spike mark on his line which meant he had to try and dribble it in the edge.

[Shindig]

I did not know about this. Can you link them?

[URL=http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/two-time-masters-champion-bernhard-langer-remains-games-man-mystery]Here's a mild one[/URL] that, on its own, isn't bigoted. However, around the events of Thanksgiving 2009, he made several remarks about Tiger's religion -- not only of Tiger's observance (appropriate), but disparaging of the religion as a whole (not appropriate). In any case, a detailed discussion of this would be too off-topic for the thread, I think.

[MEfree]

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2014/7/30/langer-im-not-sure-im-on-the-radar-screen-of-paul-mcginley.html

If one of Langer's goals was to make the Ryder Cup team, then I feel he should have tried to play in more regular PGA and Euro Tour events as these are the guys he would be competing against (and with) at the Ryder Cup.  His t-8 was very good at the Masters this year, but since the beginning of 2008 (6.5 years), he has only played in 16 events that are included in the OWGR and his results are mixed with: 0 top 3s, 3 top 10s, 6 missed cuts and only 7 of 16 events where he finished high enough to get any OWGR points.

Year	Events Played	1 st	2 nd	3 rd	4 th -10 th	MC	Year End Rank
2014	1	-	-	-	1	-
2013	1	-	-	-	-	-	877
2012	2	-	-	-	-	1	1199
2011	2	-	-	-	-	2	1401
2010	2	-	-	-	-	1	957
2009	3	-	-	-	1	1	562
2008	5	-	-	-	1	1	255

With a OWGR of 454, it is not surprising he is not on his captain's radar.  Yes, the OWGR overlooks SR results, some of which are impressive but without him showing he can perform in regular events (other than the Masters), it is very speculative on how he would fare at the Ryder Cup.

[RJH999]

[URL=http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/two-time-masters-champion-bernhard-langer-remains-games-man-mystery]Here's a mild one[/URL] that, on its own, isn't bigoted. However, around the events of Thanksgiving 2009, he made several remarks about Tiger's religion -- not only of Tiger's observance (appropriate), but disparaging of the religion as a whole (not appropriate). In any case, a detailed discussion of this would be too off-topic for the thread, I think.

Intereresting....Are you sure you're not confusing him with someone else ? Lol...ok this is OT. Edit:Nvm, he makes comments about Tiger's religion in that article.

[Grndslmhttr3]

Eh so he's a bit of a jeezoid, that's nothing new on the PGA Tour (i.e. Bubba, Webb Simpson, Zach Johnson, etc.).

[FarawayFairways]

Fowler, Bradley, Lehman, Stewart, Pavin, Azinger, Cink, (hell there's angle here ... believers versus non-believers with a few satanists and other assorted heretics to throw into the mix)

In any event, Rory was asked about it yesterday and pretty well said "No", whilst kind of hinting that Langer wouldn't be welcome "He's not quite in the same group of people". Asked to expand on it he said "The team dynamic is pretty good at the minute, with the mix that we have, so to bring someone in who has not spent much time around us might not be the best"

OK you should say Rory McIlroy is a player, not a selector, but you'd have to heed that warning given that McGinlay's own appointment hardly met with universal approval from the playing group. In any event, does Paul want a former Captain on the team?

The journos otherwise reported Rory's dismissal of the questioning as annoying given that he clearly regarded the whole discussion as just plain stupid and barely deserving of an answer

[Wansteadimp]

McGinley is working for Sky on the WGC this week. He was asked about Langer at the start of the coverage and basically ruled him out.

MEfree pretty much had the reason, McGinley pointed at only 2 events (Masters x 2) against other contenders during the qualifying period. He doesn't feel he can get a proper feel for where Langer's game is just by looking at Seniors events.

[FarawayFairways]

McGinlay doesn't need to go in search of left field answers and pulling rabbits out of hats either. America hasn't won on foreign soil since 1993. Over to you Tom.

More of the same = more of the same