Ryder Cup Captain's Picks

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

Tiger Woods puts Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk in potentially 'awkward' position

Tiger - assuming he doesn't win this week - will have to be a Capt.'s pick to make the Ryder Cup team as a player. He's already on board as a vice captain.

To me: It's a No-Brainer to take him, because of attendance and ratings boost he brings, and oh yeah, he's playing well and he was Tiger Woods. Of course, who knows If he back issues are flaring up maybe he's better off sitting on the sidelines.

Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, Justin Thomas, Patrick Reed, Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler are all considered locks for the squad. An eighth automatic qualifier will earn his spot by Sunday night; Furyk will announce his four captain’s picks by the third leg of the FedEx Cup in September. Those in the running, along with Woods: Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson, Tony Finau, Xander Schauffele, Matt Kuchar, Kyle Stanley, Kevin Kisner and Brian Harman.

I won't be surprised if Mickelson is a pick, though I don't think he should be (compared to everyone else on the list). If Mickelson is a pick, I think Woods is a given as well.
I can stand DeChambeau, but I can see the argument. I wouldn't take Fowler unless I absolutely had to.
Kuch and Stanley? Nah.

My Pick 4: Woods, Finau, Schauffele and Kisner.

 

[micropolitan guy]

Tiger Woods, the David Price of "postseason" golf.

 

[BitterYoungMatador2]

At the end of the day the Ryder Cup is a TV show. They can babble all they want about pride and playing for country and blah blah, blah blah blah. It's a TV show that is competing with the NFL and college football for eyeballs. Your best bet in that situation is Woods, who remains a draw with casual fans.

 

[playthrough]

Tiger's playing unless he's in a hospital bed. These headlines are ridiculous.

DeChambeau's an interesting case, I think he has to play his way on because he's just too much of an iconoclast to be warmly welcomed as a captain's pick. For Furyk, it's easy to pass on him in favor of a vet like Kuchar.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

If Mickelson has a real good PGA, like a top three finish, he would make the team on points. It's easy to forget how hot he was in February and March.

 

[poindexter]

Furyk should go up to Mickelson today and say, "Listen, Phil. If you can't beat my score this weekend, your ass is staying home."

 

[Alma]

Furyk could pick Randy McGoo and still win the Cup easily.

So pick the Tiger.

Unless Tiger recuses himself. Which I think may happen. He's ready to be magnanimous.

 

[Chef2]

Tiger
Fowler
Phil
Kisner

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Furyk could pick Randy McGoo and still win the Cup easily.

So pick the Tiger.

Unless Tiger recuses himself. Which I think may happen. He's ready to be magnanimous.

I wouldn't be so sure about that easy win. Last time the US won in Europe was, well, I can't remember. I think it was in the 1980s. A team with McIlroy, Rose, Fleetwood, Rahm and Molinari will not be a pushover.

 

[MileHigh]

1993 at the Belfry. Of course, the U.S. has only won twice this century.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

1993 at the Belfry. Of course, the U.S. has only won twice this century.

And never over there. That's five straight away losses.

 

[hondo]

A Ryder Cup in Europe, especially with the U.S. holding the cup, won't need Tiger Woods for attendance and ratings.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

A Ryder Cup in Europe, especially with the U.S. holding the cup, won't need Tiger Woods for attendance and ratings.

Agreed. The only thing that'll hold ratings down is that the matches will begin at like 3 a.m. Eastern time each day.

 

[trifectarich]

DeChambeau with a chance to grab an automatic spot, bogeys his last hole in Round 2 at the PGA and MCs.
Mickelson with a chance to grab an automatic spot, misses the cut by 4.

 

[playthrough]

Furyk had a press conference this morning in St. Louis and kept playing coy on whether he'll take Woods. JFC, Jim, do you think you're fooling anyone?

 

[qtlaw]

How's the conversation going to go when Furyk meets with his vice-captains and asks "what are your thoughts on the next 4?" and Tiger says "I like the guy who just posted a 2nd and 5th at the last two majors?"

 

[trifectarich]

If Furyk gave me the four picks, I'd go with Woods, Kisner, Finau and flip a coin on the last choice between Schauffele and DeChambeau.

Taking Woods out of the discussion since everyone knows he's a pick, this year there were seven events in which the players on the points list ranked 9th to 15th all played. Neither Mickelson nor Kuchar had even one finish in which they beat the other five. Finau had top-10s at the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and Bridgestone; that's good enough for me.

Do I think Furyk is going to pick Phil? Yes I do.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

If Furyk gave me the four picks, I'd go with Woods, Kisner, Finau and flip a coin on the last choice between Schauffele and DeChambeau.

Taking Woods out of the discussion since everyone knows he's a pick, this year there were seven events in which the players on the points list ranked 9th to 15th all played. Neither Mickelson nor Kuchar had even one finish in which they beat the other five. Finau had top-10s at the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and Bridgestone; that's good enough for me.

Do I think Furyk is going to pick Phil? Yes I do.

You make a good case for Finau. Truth is, neither Schauffle nor DeChambeau has flashed a hot hand lately. In March, Mickelson would've been a lock. If he doesn't get hot in the playoffs, I'll bet he and Woods switch roles and Phil will be a vice captain while Tiger plays.

 

[qtlaw]

You make a good case for Finau. Truth is, neither Schauffle nor DeChambeau has flashed a hot hand lately. In March, Mickelson would've been a lock. If he doesn't get hot in the playoffs, I'll bet he and Woods switch roles and Phil will be a vice captain while Tiger plays.

Schauffle almost won the Open at Carnoustie.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

Schauffle almost won the Open at Carnoustie.

Three over on Sunday. As was Kisner, who's obviously super talented but appears to have a Sunday problem in big events, not what one wants in a Ryder Cup.