Ryder Cup Captain's Picks

I recall in one year of the SJ golf pool someone's team name was "Jeff Overton's Bucket Hat" - that's all I got.

 

Reed and Spieth had the magic in 2016; Bubba? What goes well with a dickhead? Maybe Bryson? Maybe pray for someone to volunteer? Finicky is not someone I'd want to play with.

 

No way does Bryson make it.

 

Reed and Spieth have been great in both of the last two Ryder Cups. Part of the reason Tom Watson got stabbed like Julius Ceaser is he sat Spieth and Reed in Gleneagles for no discernible reason in an afternoon session right after they'd just destroyed Poulter and Gallacher. Keegan and Mickelson got destroyed in their place, which is Example A of why Tom Watson was a garbage captain.

I'd say the US pairings will most likely be:

Spieth/Reed
Thomas/Fowler
Koepka/DJ
Webb/Bubba

My prediction on the four captains picks would be...
Woods (obviously)
Mickelson (almost certainly a lock unless he somehow withdrew himself from consideration, which he won't do)
Kuchar (don't love it, but you need someone to pair with Tiger or Phil and he can pair with either)
Kisner (I'd rather take Finau; I think Tiger would rather take Bryson; I think Furyk will ultimately pick Kisner)

I think Bryson might be a great RC player, in part because he'd infuriate the Euros, but he seems lost in the sauce a bit these days, and needed a better summer to grab what seemed like a lock earlier this season. Part of the reason I don't like taking Kuchar and Phil is you need to build for the future. This is why it was so dumb to take Ryan Moore last time around instead of Justin Thomas. It was equally stupid when JB Holmes and Bill Haas got picked for the President's Cup over Koepka.

As for the Euros, Bjorn actually has a really difficult decision to make with Sergio, who has been absolutely garbage of late. (He's missed 8 cuts in his last 9 starts, and seems to be in full IDGAF mode now that he has a major.) If Bjorn takes Sergio over Thomas Pieters, who was a monster at the RC last time around, he's playing with fire. If Sergio plays like shit, it could get real ugly in Paris.

I think I'd still take him, ultimately. He's one of the best Euro RCers of all time. Maybe he feels revived. This event always seems to do that for him.

So his picks would likely be:
Sergio
Stenson
Casey
Knox

 

The problem with that theory: Furyk is not the real captain. The real captain is a triumvirate of Tiger/Phil/Furyk.

Tiger wants Bryson on the team. I think Finau and Xander are going to be the men left out, because they don't have the buddy relationship with Phil and Tiger that Kisner, Bryson and Kuchar do.

 

I keep hearing how Phil is so good in the team room, but I don't give a **** how much fun they have playing table tennis early in the week.

 

I get Kisner, I don't like what I see of him, seems standoffish but that's from me on the couch. Its just a shame that with a chance for young dudes like Finau and Schauffle, who have big talent, they're going to be left off in favor of Phil and Kuchar (who's slipped big time this year).

 

Phil is 10th on the RyderCup points list. He didn't have a very good summer, but he's had a strong year. PS: Woods is now 11th. A strong major will do that.

 

Define showing up, though. Like he has to place in the Top 10 of an event? Win one?