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The Spectacle Blog
Forgive my golf obsession, but American men are fading from the forefront in golf the way they faded in tennis about six or seven years ago. And with today being the last day to impress Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin to become a Wild Card selection for the international team competition, not only did nobody step up, but just about everybody under consideration absolutely hashed up their chances. To me, this looks like the worst American Ryder Cup team EVER. Of the eight already on the team, Phil Mickelson has played like he’s utterly lost since blowing another chance for a U.S. Open this summer. Today he hacked up the course with a five-over 76. Hunter Mahan is a CUp veteran and should be fine, even though he has only won two (or is it three) tournaments in his life. Bubba Watson has won only one tournament and is prone to severe nervousness and fits of bizarre tactics. Jim Furyk is solid, as is Steve Stricker. Dustin Johnson is a rising star but still young and still known for trouble closing out victories. Jeff Overton hasn’t won anything on tour, ever, and has faded in the last month. Matt Kuchar should be fine — but again, with only three tour wins, he’s hardly a superstar.
To join them, Pavin has four choices. The first choice is easy: Tiger Woods is finally starting to find his game, and for once in his life he should play BETTER because he’ll be playing for team and country rather than himself: I think the focus on a higher call will bring out a better game than the year-long focus on a self with whom he is angry and disgusted. (So much for my psychologizing.)
So who should the other choices be? Nobody who is a respected absolutely top-notch veteran has made a strong case for himself. The two most accomplished who are anywhere near the top of the points list also are the two whose games at least have been decent in the last month even if not world-beating: former major title winners Zach Johnson and Stewart Cink. I would choose them to join Tiger and this otherwise weak team. But that still leaves one player to choose.
Tops on the points list are Anthony Kim, who has played horrendously since returning (prematurely) from thumb surgery. There is no way he should be chosen while he seems not to be healthy. Next is Lucas Glover, who gagged his way home a few weeks back when he had a real chance to win a tourney and who since then has been mediocre — which is pretty much how he has been ever since winning the U.S. Open in 2009. He shouldn’t be the choie either. Bo Van Pelt? Only one tour win in his life, and that over a second-tier field. Be Crane. Ricke Barnes? Nick Watney? None of them inspire a ton of confidence. Sean O’Hair is next, but is all of a sudden in a big slumpp. And so on down the list. Nobody has a great resume combined with very solid recent play. ANd veterans like Justin Leonard, Davis Love III, David Toms, Kenny Perry, and Scott Verplank all backed up in the past two weeks when they had a chance to step up their games.
Folks, this is bad.
For the final choice, if I were Pavin, I would choose….. Fred Couples. He still hits it a mile. He keeps his team loose and is well liked by his peers. He has had a great year on the senior tour and finished fifth at the Masters. And he played well this week at Pebble on the senior tour.
So there are my picks: Woods, Cink, Johnson, and Couples. Let’s see if Pavin agrees.
View all comments (16) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Quin Hillyer
http://spectator.org/blog/2010/09/06/worst-ryder-cup-team-ever
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Lullabys, Legends and Lies| 9.6.10 @ 7:09PM
Quin: And what exactly does this article about the Ryder Cup team have to do about advancing the cause of destroying the Democratic Party in America? If we lose the Ryder Cup this year, will the team be given a Government bailout like GM or something, to help them rebuild the team on the Taxpayer's dime? If so, then I understand your concern, but if not, then why are you wasting your time writing about golf, when you could be giving us your analysis of President Obama's Labor Day speech today (by the way, it was terrible!! But it'll "only" cost us 50 Billion, and help the Unions out, yet again). Focus Quin, focus!! There won't be any golf in anybody's future if we don't destroy the Democratic Party this year (which means, no Ryder Cup next year). Golf is fine, I play it myself (badly), and the Ryder Cup is great, I watch it most years, but the bigger issue is, will we still have golf to play in the future, if we don't change the direction of this Nation today (by destroying the Democratic Party in America-just in case you forgot). Yeah, yeah, I know, I've got to cut back on the coffee!!
But I like your pick of Fred Couples for the Ryder Cup team, he's always been a great player, and a class act too. He's not a Democrat, is he?
Hank Archer| 9.6.10 @ 8:06PM
Tiger would be too much of a distraction to the rest of the team. It wouldn't be a team, it would be Tiger and his entourage. I'd say leave him off.
Roger| 9.6.10 @ 11:28PM
I don't really care who Pavin picks, BUT, when you closed it out!! Freddy, FREDDY, FREDDY, that would be awesome.
PCC| 9.6.10 @ 11:40PM
Dear Quin,
Your posts on golf prove two things: you have a passion for the game and you shouldn't quit your day job!
Actually, I enjoyed this one very much and it makes a good deal of sense except for picking Fred Couples. If your wacky criteria for picking him obtains, you may as well pick Dan Quayle.
Hey, now wait a minute....
TennesseeVolunteer| 9.7.10 @ 4:08AM
Quin, thanks for a lighter note kind of article but your selection process is flawed. You don't have any minorities in there and not a Muslim to be seen. Also, I think you need someone who can bring all of these disparate personalities together. Someone who can organize, speak for all of them with one voice. Someone who has worked tirelessly to improve his game this summer during natural and man made calamities. Someone who will bring change to our past difficulties at the Ryder Cup and will bring us hope that we can win again.
Quin, I submit to you the one, and only, Golfer In Chief, Barack Hussein Obama!
Just think of all of the additional fans of golf he will bring to our golf ball and club manufacturers! A veritable economic stimulus to the sports world. And, don't forget, with his well documented religious background, he can lead all of the guys in prayer...five times a day!
TennesseeVolunteer| 9.7.10 @ 4:32AM
Quin, sorry I forgot Tiger. Woke up in the middle of the night so am a little groggy. The rest of my post stands. The team still needs s a little hope and change!
JP| 9.7.10 @ 7:42AM
And besides golf and tennis, the US is fading from the international basketball scene. The US hasn't won a championship in 11 years -even with the insertion of NBA players.
ncatty| 9.7.10 @ 9:17AM
Charley Hoffman.
sre| 9.7.10 @ 11:00AM
You got 3 out of 4. Rickie Fowler instead of Freddie.
Given the dire straights we are in this year, we probably should have gone with a bunch of youngsters - at least they'd get Ryder Cup experience.
This way, we get to see Corey Pavin lead Stewart Cink into battle.
Quin| 9.7.10 @ 11:15AM
I don't like the Fowler pick. Before him, I not only would have taken Couples, but also Tom Lehman (who has a GREAT record in the British Isles), or David Toms (who finished a strong second a few weeks back, even though he hasn't otherwise played well), or Lucas Glover, who hasn't finished strongly but who with a US Open to his credit and a ton of talent could be a great boost to the team. Oh, well....
ncatty| 9.7.10 @ 1:00PM
It's Fowler.
Bob| 9.7.10 @ 7:44PM
It will be interesting to see how many matches Woods plays in. An alternate usually steps in one or two doubles matches but my guesss is Pavin will have Woods play in all matches due to pressure from the ratings crowd and Woods himself. Therefore he BETTER play good.
astorian| 9.7.10 @ 7:55PM
The US is not "fading" in basketball by a long shot. We have the best basketball players in the world by far, and every other country knows it.
Our problem is that the best American players RIGHTLY regard international tournaments as meaningless exhibition games that aren't really worthy of their time or effort.
After all, IF foreign players were truly superior, they'd be dominant in the NBA.