Who are Your Ryder Cup Captain's Picks for US Team?
Which four Americans would you add to the eight automatic qualifiers? Base your picks on how guys stand right now, how they are playing now, and post your picks in comments.
Here are my four captain's picks:
- Sean O'Hair: Hey, you can't keep picking 40-year-olds forever. Gotta get some of the young guys into the mix, and it's time to put O'Hair into the mix. He has more FedEx Cup points than any American not already on the team. He has one win and two thirds this year. Get him in there.
- D.J. Trahan: Another youngish American. Get him in there, too. Tenth among Americans in FedEx Cup points, with one win in '08.
- J.B. Holmes: Having a pretty good 2008, with one win, decent FedEx standing, and some solid showings (the final round of the PGA Championship notwithstanding) of late. Plus, he's in keeping with my up-and-comers theme. And, well, I have to pick somebody.
- Rocco Mediate: Just because he's Rocco.
These four guys plus the eight automatic selections don't exactly scream "powerhouse." Team Europe - with Padraig Harrington, Sergio Garcia, Henrik Stenson and Lee Westwood, among others, playing very well - is going to look much stronger on paper, regardless of the final composition of the teams.
In my selections for captain's picks, I've passed over Steve Stricker, Woody Austin, Hunter Mahan and Zach Johnson, among others - although I could probably be swayed pretty easily than any of them (or Scott Verplank, one of the rare Americans of late with a good Ryder Cup record) deserved a spot over Trahan or Holmes.
Make your choices in comments.
Comments
I like most of yours. I’d have picked Woody Austin over Trahan.
Stricker, Verplank, Mediate, Freddie Couples
All of those picks are lame, do you know anything about golf? O’hair is whiny and overrated Trahan could not make a Ryder cup for mini golf, Rocco is a thousand and no good. I do however like JB, he actually has some skill
You have to go with Stricker, Mahan, Mediate and Austin/Holmes
Rocco Mediate, Woody Austin, Billy Mayfair, and Steve Stricker. I would want guys who are top50 in FedEx Cup points, who play well on major championship-type layouts, and who have a fire in their belly and have shown they can gut it out against the best. Mediate- battled Tiger for 91 holes in the toughest championship in golf, and made the cut at Birkdale in a hurricane… Mayfair- steady Eddie, won the Amateur, a grueling match play event on US open courses. Stricker, most consistent player over the past 2 seasons, he plays well on tight, tough courses. Austin- would rather stick a knife in his own heart than lose. Trahan, O’Hair, Holmes… great young players, they will make my team in 2010 if they continue to demonstrate potential. Way too soon to tell yet.
Holmes, Couples, Snedeker, Austin
STRICKER FOR HIS PUTTING, HOLMES FOR HIS POWER, O’HAIR FOR HIS YOUTH AND AUSTIN FOR HIS GUTS AND EXPERIANCE. DAMN, I SHOULD BE CAPTAIN.
OHair (playing well and give him experience)
Zach Johnson (bull dog mentality)
Verplank, Rocco, Woody, Stricker (pick best 2 of whomever is playing best)
too bad guys like Steve Pate are no longer in the mix. they need some fire. but not having Tiger will probably give them motivation enough.
Snede, DiMarco, Couples, Flesch
Stricker is a “no brainer”. Won the match play and has played well all year. Snedeker, Trahan, and O’hair would get the nod as my last 3 picks.
Rocco deserves a shot! He has shown fortitude, desire, focus, and a geat sense of humor -all attributes the team needs to be competitive with the strong European team
OHair because he is in form, Snedeker for the same reason and I like his mental makeup, Rocco is in form and his personality would be a big plus for keeping team morale high, and lastly Stricker. We’ve been outputted in most of the Ryder Cups that we’ve lost and the guy can flat out roll his ball.
Stricker, Verplank, .B. Holmes, Kenny Perry
Hank Kuehne (because I’m curious if he can still swing a club and his girlfriend would be photogenic in the crowd), Kevin Stadler (because he has great potential — I once thought), John Daly (for comic relief) and Davd Duval (for old time sake). And it is possible that these four might perform just as well as any of the others that deserve to be considered. In fact, 8 random picks from the top few hundred in the golf rankings (and I know this leaves out all but Stadler above) might do just as well as the picks that Azinger will belabor over.
Couples, Stricker, David Toms, and Zach Johnson
Just pick four guys that can possibly give us some kind of game.H.D Rotherham. England U.K.
haha good one Hugh!
But that’s the problem isn’t it — no matter who you pick, the team doesn’t look any better.
Pick the top four fairway hitters and the top four putters. Do not care about names. Will come down to who putts the best.
Pick the top four fairway hitters and the top four putters. Forget the names.
Holmes - took Tiger to the impossible at match play and won the Tavistock + FBR, Mediate - did anyone watch the US Open, O’Hair, Trahan - with wins in 2008 - pure and simple.
Azinger would be an idiot if he doesn’t pick Stricker. He could have won both the PGA and Barclays if he had respectable 3rd rounds, Just don’t play him on day 3
Zach Johnson (play shows ready for a great tournament), Steve Stricker (realiable), David Toms (has done well in past Ryder Cups, steady) & JB Holmes (youth and power)
Stricker has earned it. Aside from a rough patch in the middle of the year, he has played well. He’s certainly played a lot better than Trahan, Mediate, and O’Hair recently. I know, I know, past performance is no guarantee of future results, but he has a good match play record and is 5-5 on two President’s Cup teams. J.B. Holmes has played pretty well of late as well.
Lehman blew it in 2006 when he didn’t pick Stricker. This year is going to be tough enough as it is. I’m fine with some young guns too, but Stricker has earned his way.
Stricker, Mediate, Couples & the in form Junior US Am finalist Drew Kittleson,who had a top few rounds at Pinehurst
Austin (just look how he played in the Pres cup)
O’Hair (great potential)
Stricker (tough as nails)
Holmes (his distance could be intimidating and a big advantage in the team games)
What about Briny “birdie” Baird for a captain pick - Silent but deadly!