President's Cup Matches Discussion Thread

[Natural Patrick]

What does everyone think of the Captains picks for USA and the International teams?

[rolopolo]

very unfair to Byeong-Hun An imho

[Natural Patrick]

very unfair to Byeong-Hun An imho

Really, how so ?

[billchao]

I don't know how many people are following this, but it probably would have been helpful to include the names of the picks.

Quote:

On Tuesday, U.S. Presidents Cup captain Jay Haas named his son, Bill, as one of his two captain’s picks for the Oct. 8-11 matches in South Korea. Phil Mickelson was the other selection for the Americans, keeping alive his streak of 21 consecutive teams made.

International captain Nick Price picked Steven Bowditch , a winner this season at the Byron Nelson , and hometown favorite Sangmoon Bae to fill out the 12-man roster.

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central-blog/haas-tabs-son-mickelson-presidents-cup-picks/

This completes the teams on both sides.

U.S. Team:

1. Jordan Spieth
2. Bubba Watson
3. Jimmie Walker
4. Zach Johnson
5. Jim Furyk
6. Rickie Fowler
7. Dustin Johnson
8. Patrick Reed
9. Matt Kuchar
10. Chris Kirk
11. Bill Haas
12. Phil Mickelson

International Team:

1. Jason Day
2. Louis Oosthuizen
3. Adam Scott
4. Hideki Matsuyama
5. Branden Grace
6. Marc Leishman
7. Anirban Lahiri
8. Charl Schwartzel
9. Thongchai Jaidee
10. Danny Lee
11. Steven Bowditch
12. Sangmoon Bae

[DeadMan]

Haas and Mickelson? Gag me. If DLIII picks them for the Ryder Cup over someone like Brooks Koepka or Justin Thomas, I'm going to be really pissed.

[jbishop15]

Should've picked Tiger ;-)

[Crim]

This has all the makings of an upset. Im actually kind of hoping the international team pulls it off.

[FinTurma]

International teams picks seem good. US not so good. Koepka and Kisner could've been good picks and brought some energy to the team.

[harry hooker]

Poor picks in my opinion. Is the presidents cup a big deal over there? Compared to the Ryder cup? Being English I have no idea how big it is for you guys?

[Broke100Once]

The Presidents Cup isn't treated with a quarter of the hype and importance that's placed on the Ryder Cup....and ironically, the US team is all the better for it.  The Prez is the 'friendly exhibition' that the Ryder Cup used to be before it was overrun by overzealous patriotism.

This is why I've always felt that Couples should be a Ryder Cup captain.  The U.S. needs someone who will take a step back and have everyone chill out, maybe that would help the team from being so tight come the actual matches.

[nevets88]

I don't know how many people are following this, but it probably would have been helpful to include the names of the picks. [QUOTE url="http://www.golfchannel.com/topics/events/presidents-cup.htm"]   [COLOR=323232]On Tuesday, U.S. [COLOR=18529E][URL=http://www.golfchannel.com/topics/events/presidents-cup.htm]Presidents Cup[/URL][/COLOR] captain [COLOR=18529E][URL=http://www.golfchannel.com/topics/people/jay-haas.htm]Jay Haas[/URL][/COLOR] named his son, Bill, as one of his two captain’s picks for the Oct. 8-11 matches in South Korea. [COLOR=18529E][URL=http://www.golfchannel.com/topics/people/phil-mickelson.htm]Phil Mickelson[/URL][/COLOR] was the other selection for the Americans, keeping alive his streak of 21 consecutive teams made.[/COLOR] [COLOR=323232]International captain [COLOR=18529E][URL=http://www.golfchannel.com/topics/people/nick-price.htm]Nick Price[/URL][/COLOR] picked [COLOR=18529E][URL=http://www.golfchannel.com/topics/people/steven-bowditch.htm]Steven Bowditch[/URL][/COLOR], a winner this season at the [COLOR=18529E][URL=http://www.golfchannel.com/topics/people/byron-nelson.htm]Byron Nelson[/URL][/COLOR], and hometown favorite Sangmoon Bae to fill out the 12-man roster.[/COLOR] [/QUOTE] [URL=http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central-blog/haas-tabs-son-mickelson-presidents-cup-picks/]http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central-blog/haas-tabs-son-mickelson-presidents-cup-picks/[/URL] This completes the teams on both sides. U.S. Team: [LIST=1] [*] Jordan Spieth [*] Bubba Watson [*] Jimmie Walker [*] Zach Johnson [*] Jim Furyk [*] Rickie Fowler [*] Dustin Johnson [*] Patrick Reed [*] Matt Kuchar [*] Chris Kirk [*] Bill Haas [*] Phil Mickelson [/LIST] International Team: [LIST=1] [*] Jason Day [*] Louis Oosthuizen [*] Adam Scott [*] Hideki Matsuyama [*] Branden Grace [*] Marc Leishman [*] Anirban Lahiri [*] Charl Schwartzel [*] Thongchai Jaidee [*] Danny Lee [*] Steven Bowditch [*] Sangmoon Bae [/LIST]

Cool to see half the team is of Asian descent. Indian, Korean, Thai, Japanese, Filipino. Bae is the one who has to serve in the army, right? I think he can play though. Has a father ever captained his son before?

[VOX]

Can't believe Hass selected FIGJAM. I can only guess that for some reason he wants to stick it to Tom Watson. Add Bubba Watson, Patrick Reed and Dustin Johnson and you have one one the least likable US teams possible. I know its not a personality contest but it is going to be very hard to root for the US.

[Ernest Jones]

The international team looks pretty strong. Especially if Day maintains his quality of play.

[Gunther]

This has all the makings of an upset. Im actually kind of hoping the international team pulls it off.

Agree it could be an upset. I can't say I'm hoping for it but I do think it would be good for the overall event. Don't think the Ryder Cup was a very big deal to the US until the Euros started winning. Prez Cup same. Terrible picks by Haas, IMO. I would have liked Koepka and Thomas as well.

[Rogin]

It would have been a chilly thanksgiving dinner at the Haas Mansion if Jay hadn't picked his lad. No surprise there.

I'm interested to see if cutting the number of foursomes/fourballs to 5 in each session (not 6) helps the International side make more of a contest of it. Although they have a strong side, they don't have the strength in depth of the US, and allowing a couple of guys to sit out each session should help even it up a bit. In truth, Europe haven't matched the US team either, player-for-player, in recent Ryder Cups, but allowing them to put out just 4 pairs raring to go helps them there, too. Plus it gives the US captain the problem Ryder Cup captains face, of dealing with the disgruntled "benched" players.

[Chilli Dipper]

Here's the deal: Haas could be forgiven for picking his son to the roster if he was anywhere near making the team on merit, and Bill's consistently in the 11-15th place zone for Presidents/Ryder Cup points for several cycles now. He could also be forgiven for picking a legacy with a track record like Mickelson if no other eligible golfer appears more deserving of the roster slot. That said, selecting both of them for this team when Brooks Koepka is having a better year than either of them shows the sort of complacency with personnel that has hurt Americans in the Ryder Cup for the better part of three decades now. I'm anticipating the first International victory in these matches for quite some time. Something tells me the U.S. squad isn't going to acclimate itself to Korea all that well.

[newtogolf]

Here's the deal: Haas could be forgiven for picking his son to the roster if he was anywhere near making the team on merit, and Bill's consistently in the 11-15th place zone for Presidents/Ryder Cup points for several cycles now. He could also be forgiven for picking a legacy with a track record like Mickelson if no other eligible golfer appears more deserving of the roster slot. That said, selecting both of them for this team when Brooks Koepka is having a better year than either of them shows the sort of complacency with personnel that has hurt Americans in the Ryder Cup for the better part of three decades now.

I'm anticipating the first International victory in these matches for quite some time. Something tells me the U.S. squad isn't going to acclimate itself to Korea all that well.

Tough play for Jay to be put in given his son was on the fringe.  As a dad I doubt I could pass up the opportunity to coach the team with my son playing on it but I'd know full well I'd pay for my selfishness if my son didn't perform well.

Phil is a cheerleader, I'd have taken Koepka or Thomas but Phil will keep things light and fun.  He also seems to thrive in these sorts of competitions.

[skydog]

B Haas was the 11th ranked guy here (first one out) so with that as cover it's pretty understandable to see why Jay would put him on. Based solely on recent performance, Mickelson is a much more debatable pick with the likes of Horschel or Koepka as seemingly better alternatives. I also would have liked to seen either or both of those guys get a chance this year as a potential trial run for the RC next year.

Anything can happen when you're dealing with international play on the other side of the world but I still think the American squad has a big advantage here and is looking like a pretty stacked team. Scott is a disaster right now and Oosthuizen is just unpredictable.