Ryder Cup - USA Picks

Dustin Johnson
Jordan Spieth
Phil Mickelson
Jimmy Walker
Brooks Koepka
Brandt Snedeker
Patrick Reed
Zach Johnson




The above eight have qualified automatically for this year's Ryder Cup. Three will join them on the 11th September when Davis Love III announces three of the four captain picks, the last pick will be made after the conclusion of the Tour Championship on the 25th September

You know who I picked!

Who?

Bubba.

Sirb,
Who we think, or who WE would pick?

I would pick Fowler, Watson & Kuchar... IMO DL3 will pick the same.

Looks like someone (Robo?) only made 3 picks. You wanted to pick 4 players, correct?

I disagree.
I'd pick the Top Three, Bubba, JB, Rickie.
Love knows Kuchar; I'd bet he says something like, "You're my man, relax and prove it to me", and Kuchar will take it in his stride. As he does. There's a $700K margin between Kuckar & Piercy after all, and he's not likely to choose a rookie unless a compelling case is made.

JB's psyche, on the other hand, is likely to be far more fragile. (Having said all of which I suspect III would take a (media-loving) flyer on Justin Thomas if he had the slightest excuse - which would mean at least a win.)

Rickie, Bubba, Ryan and Bill (Haas) is who I think DLIII will pick.

Who he will pick:
Fowler, Bubba, Kooch, Furyk

Who he should pick:
Fowler, Holmes, Na, Horschel

Good to see someone else jump on the Na bandwagon.



Picks should be

Gerry, Na, Dufner, Furyk.

Why do people think he "should" pick Bubba (and Furyk)?

pedro wrote:Why do people think he "should" pick Bubba (and Furyk)?

Probably because it would be good for Europe because their records are lamentable.

If Love3 follows previous logic he will pick them. So it'll be interesting to see if all this Task Force BS, is just, well, BS.

Of course it is, these guys never pick on who would actually be the best pick for a team, they pick on names and reputation. Remind you of anyone?

No doubt Clarke will do the same, whereas a thinking man would pick players for actual attributes rather than meaningless reasons.

Well on this side of the pond there's usually consensus on the picks, more or less. I remember some controversy when Woosie picked Westy over Bjorn, and Donald over Casey (I think) but that's about it. Even when the captain has picked rookies even armchair experts seem to have been behind it.

Part of it is of course that we don't have as many "big" players to choose from - yet still nobody would seriously argue for a 3-time major winner and recent PGA Tour winner Harrington, because everybody seem to accept he doesn’t bring anything to the table. That's probably a difference btw the US and Euro wild card logic.

You're probably right Pedro, personally I think we ought to have more picks, perhaps 5 or 6, as you can choose players who actually might fit into specific player types, i.e good putters, straight drivers, matchplay specialists etc.

It is not clear if people are voting on who DL3 will pick or who they would pick but the voting at the moment doesn't seem to differ from the logic being called BS on here.  I think myself and Pedro are the only posters offering alternate pick strategies.

Sups wrote:i.e good putters, straight drivers, matchplay specialists etc.

You mean like Tiger? The greatest matchplay player ever.

How is he the best ever Mac? His Ryder Cup record is abysmal.

Not really the thread to go over this again but check out his amateur, college, pro and ryder singles matchplay record.

Mac, don't you realise that for every point he has won in Singles, he's cost the team at least the same amount in the Fourballs and Foursomes? Basically, for every points he wins, he is in the negative for his other participation.

Nine chins singles record isn't even that great. 4-1-2. Not really worth putting him on the team for is it? Especially when you look at his laughable fourballs and foursomes results.

Also, who gives a toss about amateur, college or tinpot tournaments like the Presidents Cup? They aren't relevant.

Then how do you know if a player is good at matchplay if you discount all the matchplay events available as markers of a players match pedigree?

For example when picking this years Ryder cup team what tournaments should DL3 use to judge whether a player will be any use to him in matchplay?

Mac, don't be a plank.

Would you ever use something from your "university" days as a measure of who you are now? No, of course you wouldn't.

Why would Davis Love hark back to something as old and irrelevant as amateur or college matchplay to make a decision on something in excess of 20 years later?

I would think that results in the tour matchplay events for example might be something a bit more relevant, don't you?

Why would it even have to be actual matchplay events? How about play-off performance? That's a matchplay scenario effectively, how about the average distance someone hits from the pin? How about single putts?

Come on Mac you claim to be intelligent, but you have no imagination at all.

Looking at past RC performance and Tour match play record only you could argue that Tiger should be in the team (at least up until 2014). But there’s more to it than playing abilities - and that’s “team dynamics”. Here I’m pretty sure Tiger has intimidated his team mates over the years and done nothing good for team spirit. Maybe that’s why his 4ball/4some record is poor and their only success in recent years was in 2008 when he was injured. Now he’s out of the team again and if they can resist picking whiners and scar tissue like Bubba and Furyk they should be on the right track.

Super, Tigers PGAT playoff record is 11-1. Super don't forget I am responding to your idea that you should choose players not on fedex or OWGR rankings but on matchplay ability. I am using Tiger as an example as he is the best matchplay player ever and would get in using your metrics, but at the same time you like to point out his poor fourball/2-ball record.

Mac, 9C is neither fit, nor in form, if, he was otherwise, then I couldn't possibly disagree, but it's a moot argument, because he's a complete wash out.

As for the RC, 9C has cost his team far more than he has won.

I still don't see how you can call 9C the best matchplay player ever, maybe if you care about non events like college and amateur golf, but who cares about that? It's like saying someone from Amateur football is the best footballer ever because they scored more goals than Ronaldo did in their college and amateur football careers, no one cares.

I think Tiger has proven himself in the WGCs.

But this is a TEAM event, and that doesn't rhyme with TW, Prez Cup success or not.

Exactly Pedro, and in the RC at least, Furyk, 9C, Fat Phil etc have proven themselves to have negative win/loss records and to be a severe detriment to their teams chances of winning, giving away more points than they gain.

IMO, Monty made some controversial picks in 2010

Picking E. Molinari, Luke and Padraig

And not picking Paul Casey and Justin Rose.

Padraig the only controversy for me there, Eddie Molinari was that year's Jamie Donaldson, this year's Thomas Pieters.

Easy to forget, though, that Harrington was ahead of Justin Rose in the owgr's at the time. And Luke's RC record is second to very few. Imagine Casey might not be the most popular team-mate, any more than he seems popular with caddies, always seems to be marching to his own drummer. A proven match-player though, as Donald was.

Stupid thing in 2010 was the way Montgomerie announced his picks, as Casey & Donald were playing in the tournament together.

yeah they were told in the middle of their round as far as I remember.

and there was pressure on Casey to play some tourneys in Europe to show his commitment but he refused.

Notable Sept 05, 2010 rankings

Luke #8
Casey #9
Edoardo #15
Paddy #20
Justin #22

Wow...According to this tweet from Ryan Ballengee, betting has been suspended on Luke Donald as a Wild Card pick for Clarke

https://twitter.com/RyanBallengee/status/770247649601720320

So if Donald's in Clarke must be very uncomfortable with his current rookies. And wasn't impressed by Pieters, his 62 and his win.

GPB wrote:Notable Sept 05, 2010 rankings

Luke #8
Casey #9
Edoardo #15
Paddy #20
Justin #22

Edoardo was hot. He won the last qualification tourney and had just won the World Cup with Frannie who had already qualified.
And I think, as some say, Casey was/is not the most popular guy on the ET and his reluctance to show commitment to the ET by playing more tourneys in Europe did not go down well with Monty and his possy.

GPB wrote:Wow...According to this tweet from Ryan Ballengee, betting has been suspended on Luke Donald as a Wild Card pick for Clarke

https://twitter.com/RyanBallengee/status/770247649601720320

Does that mean either Westwood or Kaymer will miss out then?

I do think the team needs more experience, and I don't think Donald would be bad, but it's a little harsh on Pieters, Kjeldsen and potentially Knox if he picks 3 from the old guard.

Still, nice problem to have, better than having to pick someone who has neither form nor experience.

I'll still stick with Bubba, Rickie and Kuchar for the initial 3 USA picks.... Furyk the favorite for the last... but I really feel that one is wide open. My bet is Furyk has communicated how much he wants to play, but probably has also given DL3 the "team player" routine in that he doesn't want Love to feel obligated to him... and he'll gladly take his vice-captain role if that's preferred.

I really like Luke so on a selfish basis I'd love to see him on the team. But if I'm being objective on what I think is best for the Euro team... I have Luke behind Knox, Kaymer, Pieters... but ahead of Westwood. I don't share the sentiment that so called rookies are a bad thing.

Historically Euro rookies haven't done too well and many have been benched until day 3. The Euro success has largely been due to the experienced players, whereas US rookies often have done well.
Personally I see Fitz, Sully and Wood as liabilities who'll all (probably) be benched deep into day 2.

robopz wrote:I'll still stick with Bubba, Rickie and Kuchar for the initial 3 USA picks....  Furyk the favorite for the last... but I really feel that one is wide open.  My bet is Furyk has communicated how much he wants to play, but probably has also given DL3 the "team player" routine in that he doesn't want Love to feel obligated to him... and he'll gladly take his vice-captain role if that's preferred.

Robo, with Furyk on the Task Force do you really think he has identified/acknowledged himself as part of the problem rather than part of the solution?? And being a VC 'only', does that make it any better? It's a bit catch 22 with him, unless he, after 9 successive Ryder Cups, suddently has the recipe of how NOT to do it.

pedro wrote:Historically Euro rookies haven't done too well and many have been benched until day 3. The Euro success has largely been due to the experienced players, whereas US rookies often have done well.
Personally I see Fitz, Sully and Wood as liabilities who'll all (probably) be benched deep into day 2.

I think I'm right in saying that the last European player, "rookie" or not to have only played on the final day was Andrew Coltart in Mark James disastrous team.
Pretty sure after that, the European Team decided to make sure everyone got at least two games if not three

Dubuisson, Donaldson and Colsaerts made up for the dismal debut of Gallacher.

Agree with Super. Those days are long gone where the European Rookies performed badly and they have recently all played by at least the morning of Day 2. I don't see any of the rookies as liabilities apart from perhaps Rafa, but he may form a good partnership with Sergio. I see Wood more as a foursomes partner and Fitz/Sully coming in for the fourballs. Too much is being made of the amount of rookies. They have all played in majors (in one case won one) and have been around for a few years now. All the US team will be involved in Fedex cup burnout compared to only a few on the European side.

It'll be close, but a European victory is very possible.

pedro wrote:

robopz wrote:I'll still stick with Bubba, Rickie and Kuchar for the initial 3 USA picks....  Furyk the favorite for the last... but I really feel that one is wide open.  My bet is Furyk has communicated how much he wants to play, but probably has also given DL3 the "team player" routine in that he doesn't want Love to feel obligated to him... and he'll gladly take his vice-captain role if that's preferred.

Robo, with Furyk on the Task Force do you really think he has identified/acknowledged himself as part of the problem rather than part of the solution?? And being a VC 'only', does that make it any better? It's a bit catch 22 with him, unless he, after 9 successive Ryder Cups, suddently has the recipe of how NOT to do it.

I think with only 2 or 3 exceptions.... the entire USA side is an example of how not to do it. IMO we way over think/analyze this thing.... and it's gotten to the stage of paralysis by analysis. And that's why I think we lose again.

Willett and Westwood seems a natural partnership, and they're teamed in the World Cup too.


Back to comments about the US Team and complete absence of support for JB Holmes - he only has a record of 21/2 to 1/2, and in a winning team too, so I suppose it would be only natural that he'd be the odd one out in favour of serial losers, whether Rickie, Kuchar, Bubba, Furyk, you name it. I still think it'll be Top Twelve unless someone goes Horschel-crazy.

Agree about Holmes. They're in need of some cowboys. Reed is a great addition too.

The American team is a funny one, they have some top players, but its not a team that screams favourite, like in previous years. They seem to need some new blood, but the available players also dont stand out. I think Rickie will get picked, maybe Justin Thomas should aswell, get a few younger players in the team and maybe Billy H for his "character"

Will probably go for Rickie, Bubba, Kuchar at first though.

Bubba is a character, but not the kind if character they need. As you know his team mates wouldn't stand up for him in a parking lot fight, he's thin skinned and a whiner. He's the brat that can spoil any childrens birthday party, let alone a fragile US Ryder Cup setup full of one legged war veterans (both literally and figuratively).
But I say, hey, pick him, and the Euro chances of victory just increases right there.

You'd hope if the USA have learned anything the likes of Furyk will be omitted, but I get the feeling this task force was all for show and Davis won't go for the likes of Thomas or Berger like he should imo!

Bubba and Rickie have to be picked due to their ranking imo! Kuchar will probably, I'd take Thomas and Berger instead but I can't see that so one of them will miss out!

I'd love to see Smylie on the team, especially after this.

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/grill-room/kaufman-gets-rip-harambe-stamped-wedge

:smylie:

Pedro - I agree -- I would not select Bubba or Furyk. That ship (should have) sailed IMO.