Ryder Cup Captain's Picks Posing a Problem
Nick Faldo and Paul Azinger Both Face Delimmas Over Their Wildcards
Aug 25, 2008
Nick Faldo and Paul Azinger will finalize their teams after this week's events, and both face some very tough decisions regarding their Ryder Cup captain's picks.
For European captain Faldo the situation isn't as dire, for in his case his issue is overabundance. Faldo has but two captain's picks to round out his team of 12 for the 37th Ryder Cup Matches, and more than just a pair of worthy prospects from whom to choose. Most prominently, there are Englishman Paul Casey and Ian Poulter, Northern Irishman Darren Clarke, and Scotsman Colin Montgomerie.
Monty is a long shot, seeing as he has played quite poorly this season -- and he and Faldo aren't exactly mates. Casey and Poulter (who just pulled out of this week’s Johnnie Walker Championship on the European Tour) are the likely selections, but Clarke's victory last week in the European Tour's KLM Open vaulted him into the mix. If only Faldo had four picks to make, then he could get rid of the likes of Soren Hansen and Oliver Wilson (who will possibly make the team when the top 10 are cemented after the Johnnie Walker) and fill those voids with more experienced and proven players. Even if Faldo had no desire to select Montgomerie, who may well be the greatest Ryder Cup player of all time (Faldo included), then he would still be able to select Irishman Paul McGinley who finished runner-up to Clarke in The Netherlands and has played on each of the last three victorious European Ryder Cup teams, making the Cup-sealing putt in 2002.
U.S. captain Azinger has what Faldo wants: four picks. But Faldo has what Azinger wants: a deep pool from which to pull. There are players like Steve Stricker, J.B. Holmes, Rocco Mediate, D.J. Trahan, Hunter Mahan and Sean O'Hair, all hoping to impress Captain America on this the final week. Each of these players is in the field for the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston, which will conclude on Labor Day Monday. Azinger will then pick Tuesday his final four to round out his team (the top 8 players on a points scale qualified after the PGA Championship).
Azinger wanted four picks instead of the traditional two and he got his wish. Now he's got to have a major headache. The change in plan was designed to allow the U.S. captain the ability to select the hottest players heading into the Ryder Cup. Unfortunately for Azinger everyone from whom he can choose is lukewarm at best right now. Stricker looked to be warming up at The Barclays, but melted like Icarus' wings over the weekend -- and, sadly for the Yanks, he's the closest thing to a must have for Azinger. Holmes is a solid candidate, given his length, but he also shot 81 in the final group Sunday at the PGA. Mahan shot 62 to open The Barclays, but he also shot 81-79 at the PGA and made some harsh comments regarding the PGA of America and the Ryder Cup (even though he’s never before played in the biennial matches).
Come Tuesday Sept. 2, with just two weeks to go before the 37th Ryder Cup at Valhalla, the U.S. and European teams will be complete. As to who will comprise the 12 members of each team is anybody’s guess right now. Even for the captains.
