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Posted
In the last 12 months Westwood has only two top 5's (plus aT3 in aUSA tournament I don't know it, 145Khe won there). That just, well, quite bad I guess? As/if doesn't mean anything offcourse, but let me ask you: if Westwood didn't win that one tournament, would you still want him in the team?

I would only because nobody else that was part of the Captain's pick consideration had done anything this past year worthy of being selected. Which is kind of my point. Show me who should be picked over Westwood? I haven't seen one guy mentioned that has a case over him. You can't make a strong case for anyone. If Molinari and Jiminez and Donald were playing hot golf the last few months, I'd change my tune some...but they haven't been. And while they're not top-5s, finishing 6th, 7th and 15th in 3 of the 5 biggest tournaments of the year plays a big factor along with the experience factor.

Tom Watson, who I trust knows a heck of a lot more than you or I, said he looks at several key factors when weighing a Captain's pick selection:

1) The player's current form leading into selection day

2) Previous Ryder Cup experience and how he performs in match play

3) How the player has performed in the big tournaments this year

4) Will the player bond well with the rest of the team.

5) Do you trust the guy to be able to play 5 matches in 3 days if you need him to.

Assuming McGinley looks at the same areas, Westwood and Gallacher were two obvious choices. Poulter is the one guy who I actually could make a case shoudn't make it, not Westwood.


Posted
Thanks @ @ChrisP for taking the time and patience to share your points of view. You convinced me that Westwood might not be as bad as a pick as I presumed, but I still believe he's not the best option. After Luiten his win today which is also his third top 5 in one month I'm even more 'disappointed' that he didn't do that one month earlier; then we might not have this discussion ;) So let's agree to disagree. Hopefully we see some fantastic golf next weekend.

~Jorrit

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Posted
Thanks @ @ChrisP for taking the time and patience to share your points of view. You convinced me that Westwood might not be as bad as a pick as I presumed, but I still believe he's not the best option. After Luiten his win today which is also his third top 5 in one month I'm even more 'disappointed' that he didn't do that one month earlier; then we might not have this discussion ;) So let's agree to disagree. Hopefully we see some fantastic golf next weekend.

I'd like to see the picks a couple weeks later than they are. I understand logistically that might be tough but then you'd be assured to have the hottest players. On the Euro side maybe Joost gets in and on the US, Horschel for sure. Watson's picks have stunk it up since they were selected.

In my Bag: Driver: Titelist 913 D3 9.5 deg. 3W: TaylorMade RBZ 14.5 3H: TaylorMade RBZ 18.5 4I - SW: TaylorMade R7 TP LW: Titelist Vokey 60 Putter: Odyssey 2-Ball

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Posted
I'd like to see the picks a couple weeks later than they are. I understand logistically that might be tough but then you'd be assured to have the hottest players. On the Euro side maybe Joost gets in and on the US, Horschel for sure. Watson's picks have stunk it up since they were selected.

Maybe. What Joost needs to do is perform better in the majors. He already showed he has potential (best score of the day on Sunday at Augusta, competing for three days in and around top 10 in PGA Champ.) but he needs some solid finishes. As of now he's 36th in the OWGR overtaking players like Jimenez, Poulter and Westwood. The highest player of the European Order of Merit (Dubai Race) not being in the Ryder Cup. The player with the most top 5 finishes in 2014 in Europe events (together with Stenson). Next year he has experience playing in all the majors, hopefully he can take the next step and get some good finishes on those tournaments as well.

~Jorrit

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Posted

Anybody else find it weird that Paul McGinley asked Celtic Manor to set up their course like Gleneagles....and they obliged.

Has this ever happened before?

Does anyone consider it going over the line at all?

I really don't know what to think of it, I guess I just find it...smart...but weird.

Joel Holden

https://twitter.com/JHolden138


Posted

The course is similar to Gleneagles anyway. No reason why they wouldn't oblige, Celtic Manor was staging its last Welsh Open.

Perhaps also worth pointing out that there was nothing preventing Phil Mickelson who was "concentrating full time" on the Ryder Cup, amongst others, coming over a few days early and playing

I was mildly amused to see Butch Harmon say this about him in Sunday's pen pics

"He is so passionate about the cup, he talks about it all the time. He cannot wait to get to Gleneagles"

Yeah really .... this would be the same Phil Mickelson who couldn't be bothered to do the 2 hours from Aberdeen to Gleneagles at his Captains invitation back in July would it? The same Phil Mickelson who said he was too tired to play the final match on the Friday at Medinah when America had their foot on Europe's throat, or the same Phil Mickelson who after he'd confirmed his place at Valhalla and was asked about his future ambitions chose to completely ignore the fact he'd just qualified  for a team event, and spoke exclusively instead about his desire to win an Olympic Gold Medal. Talks about it all the time? He was more interested in Rio in 2016 then Gleneagles in 6 weeks

So what's brought about this sudden apparent enthusiasm for the Ryder Cup? Well Tiger withdrew about 5 days after Valhalla, and suddenly the good team man Phil, the man who Harmon assures will be "the leader in the team room" has suddenly discovered the Ryder Cup again?

Having said all that, I do like the look of the American pairings this morning (so far as we could decode them) and talking of Phil Mickelson, I'd be concerned to see Rory experimenting with a new driver as he appears to be doing. Phil did this back at Oakland Hills and went 1-3-0 earning himself no shortage of rebukes (allegedly) from his team mates, who felt that if he wanted experiement with new clubs he should do so with his world ranking and tournament play at stake and not jeopardise everyone elses RC

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