2018 Ryder Cup Talk, and Captain Pick Choices

[Kenny B]

Sergio is #23 on the European team standings, and he's outside the top 125 in FedEx cup ranking.  So if he doesn't do well this week, he won't be around for the playoffs.  He's off the a decent start today  -4  66.

[fixyurdivot]

I think based on Phil's history with the Ryder Cup, the only way he doesn't play is if he tells Furyk to not pick him.

Furyk is in a difficult spot. Fans would never want him to captain another Ryder Cup team and he would face some backlash from the golfing community if he doesn't pick Phil.

But conversely, is picking Phil best for the team? I think Phil will play well if picked. I think he will turn it on for the Ryder Cup. His singles record is just too good not to pick him.

 

Exactly.  That was why I poised the question to the forum "So you're Jim Furyk, what the hell to do?"  Phil's been a RC fixture for a long time now, still among the most popular players on tour, and it won't be long before he's chosen as the Captain. Normally choosing Phil would be a no brainer, but this year it seems a bit more difficult (at least I see it that way).  I do agree that Phil will likely step up his focus for the event - just hoping that the scoring comes along with it.  In the end, I suspect he picks both Phil and Tiger; TW's for singles and Phil for team play.

[Shankster]

This guy made history today... seems like a real team player too. I'd pick this guys record even though he's a ways back.

 

 

Him and Brooks seem to make a good team too.

 

https://www.rydercup.com/scoring/scorecard/Brandt-Snedeker

[drewneddy]

Rumor is Tiger Phil and Bryson are locks. That last pick is tough. I'd go with Finau. But couldn't fault either X or Kisner. It would go wasted if used on Kuchar.

 

 

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[Kenny B]

I got say. For as much as Phil and Tiger have done for the game of golf, and for the Ryder cup, I think that as long as they are able to physically, and as long as they are able to contribute something to the team, they will both be on every Ryder cup and presidents cup team until they decide not to be. They could play 1 match per day and the the singles and still contribute something. Phil is a team guy, you can put him with just about anyone. Pair Tiger with the right person and they can do damage, think of Stricker and Tiger. I think of the last Ryder cup with Phil where during the singles match he made 10 birdies. My four picks are Phil, Tiger, Kisner, and the fourth is Tough, Kichar is a veteran and a solid partner for anyone, but then you have Finau who isn't quite there yet, but shows great potential. Think about Tomas Peiters in the last Ryder cup. It will be interesting to see who Furyk picks, but I think Tiger, Phil and Kisner are on the team, the last one is between Four guys. Kuchar, Finau, ZJ, and Bryson.

So who gets paired with Tiger?  There is no Stricker this year.  Please don't say Phil.     Does Tiger only play 4-ball?  He hasn't shown that he can hit fairways, so does he sit out foursomes?  

[Golfspy_CG2]

So who gets paired with Tiger? There is no Stricker this year. Please don't say Phil. Does Tiger only play 4-ball? He hasn't shown that he can hit fairways, so does he sit out foursomes?

I have read the same thing drewneddy posted above. And that Tiger and Bryson are very close and would definitley be paired.

 

Using the same ball doesn't hurt their pairing either.

 

 

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[Berg Ryman]

So, tomorrow is Captain's Picks Day for Jim, followed by Bjorn on Wednesday. Now, I don't like to toot my own horn around here that much but...

 

Don't overthink it, Tiger, Phil, Bryson... Finau.

 

*toot toot*

[Kor.A.Door]

So who gets paired with Tiger? There is no Stricker this year. Please don't say Phil. Does Tiger only play 4-ball? He hasn't shown that he can hit fairways, so does he sit out foursomes?

It's likely going to be Bryson if all the talk is correct

[Kor.A.Door]

So, tomorrow is Captain's Picks Day for Jim, followed by Bjorn on Wednesday. Now, I don't like to toot my own horn around here that much but...

 

 

*toot toot*

The play by these 4 over the last month or so has kind of made this an easy choice for Furyk. There aren't any guys in the bubble that played better over the course of the last month.

On the Euro side, he's got some tough choices. Some of the guys on the bubble that you really want to put on th e team haven't played well for most of the season. It will be interesting to see what he does

[Mr. 82]

Well, we get Tiger, Phil and Bryson as picks by Furyk.  WIth Finau coming next week I would assume.

 

But the more interesting picks are coming from the European side.  Or should I say just the one pick in Sergio Garcia.

 

Here's the entire European Ryder Cup team as just announced by Bjorn:

 

European Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn finalized his team on Wednesday announcing Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Henrik Stenson as his four wild-card selections.

This quartet joins the eight European qualifiers: Francesco Molinari, Justin Rose, Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Alex Noren and Thorbjorn Olesen.

 

I've got no beef with Casey, Poulter and even Stenson being picked, but Sergio has just simply stopped knowing how to play golf this year.  Perhaps he's just enjoying his new family and golf has become secondary to him personally, which honestly, I applaud him for that.  The only question that raises is if he can flip the switch and bring it for the Ryder Cup?  I mean, he's been in the Top 10 in the world for the last 20 years.  A guy like that doesn't forget how to play golf, and especially the Ryder Cup overnight.  But his 2018 track record is perhaps his worst as a pro, ever.

 

This is honestly just my opinion, but on paper, the US team looks heads and shoulders way better than the Europeans at the moment.

 

And I'll say this about Hatton - he has no poker face whatsoever, and his play is crazy wild.  You'd have to be crazy to play him in foursomes (alternate shot).  He'd have his partner playing from the rough or bunkers all day long.

[null]

I think Sergio is struggling with his equipment switch from TMaG to Callaway

[Shankster]

I think Sergio is struggling with his equipment switch from TMaG to Callaway

Seems to be a theme. Look at Xander, I believe he finally just put those prototypes back in the bag, but he was gaming TM stuff for the majority of the season....

[Berg Ryman]

Here's a thought I've been thinking of. Now, over in the picks thread I said I wasn't surprised by the picks because there are five rookies on the team for Europe, but is this where the US has an advantage in team construction due to the Presidents Cup?

 

With the US getting to play a team event every year instead of every two, their players get twice as many opportunities to play and be in a team environment. It has to create more unity, plus you're giving these guys an experience of playing in hostile conditions. Instead, with Europe running this out every other year, you have a wider and more volatile turnover in rosters sometime and a reliance of those who have the experience.

 

Just a thought I had about it... an interesting one, at least to me.

[Mr. 82]

Here's a thought I've been thinking of. Now, over in the picks thread I said I wasn't surprised by the picks because there are five rookies on the team for Europe, but is this where the US has an advantage in team construction due to the Presidents Cup?

 

With the US getting to play a team event every year instead of every two, their players get twice as many opportunities to play and be in a team environment. It has to create more unity, plus you're giving these guys an experience of playing in hostile conditions. Instead, with Europe running this out every other year, you have a wider and more volatile turnover in rosters sometime and a reliance of those who have the experience.

 

Just a thought I had about it... an interesting one, at least to me.

It's a good thought, and honestly, these guys play so much golf outside of team events that I'm honestly not sure how much that experience in Ryder Cup matters.  Heck if you based it on world ranking just look at Tiger's overall record in Ryder Cup.  It's not like that's something that he would necessarily talk about much in the grand scheme of all of his lofty accomplishments.  Kind of diminishes his aura if you ask me.

 

Beyond what you are saying I've often had an alternative idea for both the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup.  Year one you have the US vs Europe to settle the Ryder Cup.  Year two, you take the winner of the Ryder Cup and they take on the World in the Presidents Cup.  And frankly, maybe we need to add a 4th team to the mix and have say an Asian team against the rest of the World not in Ryder Cup for the Presidents Cup, and then you mix up those 4 teams based on who wins.  But obviously you have to start somewhere with that type of scenario.  But ultimately I'd like for winning the Ryder Cup to mean something more than just retaining the cup.  I mean, why shouldn't Europe be given the opportunity to play in the Presidents Cup, and the World team or an Asian team be able to play in Ryder Cup?  You win your cup, and you play in the other one.  You lose, you have to wait 2 years at least to play again.

 

Feel free to add your own creative idea to this, but I think it's something that is long overdue, especially in this day and age of the global golf pro.  And we are getting to the point where the Asians should be taken a lot more seriously from a team competition standpoint.

[GolfSpy MPR]

Here's a thought I've been thinking of. Now, over in the picks thread I said I wasn't surprised by the picks because there are five rookies on the team for Europe, but is this where the US has an advantage in team construction due to the Presidents Cup?

 

With the US getting to play a team event every year instead of every two, their players get twice as many opportunities to play and be in a team environment. It has to create more unity, plus you're giving these guys an experience of playing in hostile conditions. Instead, with Europe running this out every other year, you have a wider and more volatile turnover in rosters sometime and a reliance of those who have the experience.

 

Just a thought I had about it... an interesting one, at least to me.

The European team does have the EurAsia Cup. It isn't happening in alternating years like the President's Cup, though it's close enough: the 2018 edition was this past January.

[GB13]

Furyk made the obvious and good picks.

 

I agree with Bjorn on Stenson, Poulter, and Casey.

I don't know about Sergio though, I think he should of picked Wallace. Sergio while he does bring in a mentor role, would have been much better as an assistant captain. The other three are great mentors too, they absolutely could have gotten the rookies to play their best. Sergio is putting really badly right now, putting of the utmost importance in Foursomes, and Fourball. If he can make birdies he shouldn't play.

Wallace has shown he can win and play well under pressure.

Just my $.02.

[Mr. 82]

Can't believe they left off Rafa Cabrera-Bello.

[Kor.A.Door]

I look at the American side and I don't see anyone that got left off the team. Then I look at the Euro team, and have tonwknder about a couple of these picks. Stenson hasn't played well, and has been injured, and Sergio who may as well taken the season off the way he's been playing. There's really 2 guys I look at for the Euros that could have and probably should have been on the team, Bello is obvious, that one is perplexing. The other guy is Peiters playing much better golf than Stenson, and has experience on the RC stage. I think Casey and Poulter are legit picks, the other 2 are a bit off I think. I like Stenson, but Peiters and Bello should be there over him and Garcia. If Garcia and Stenson had been playing decent golf the last month I think it would have been good picks, but you left off one of the hottest players right now in Bello. Again Bello should be on this team ahead of all 4 that were chosen. I do understand why he chose them, but I think he may have left a horse In the barn this time.

[Berg Ryman]

I look at the American side and I don't see anyone that got left off the team. Then I look at the Euro team, and have tonwknder about a couple of these picks. Stenson hasn't played well, and has been injured, and Sergio who may as well taken the season off the way he's been playing. There's really 2 guys I look at for the Euros that could have and probably should have been on the team, Bello is obvious, that one is perplexing. The other guy is Peiters playing much better golf than Stenson, and has experience on the RC stage. I think Casey and Poulter are legit picks, the other 2 are a bit off I think. I like Stenson, but Peiters and Bello should be there over him and Garcia. If Garcia and Stenson had been playing decent golf the last month I think it would have been good picks, but you left off one of the hottest players right now in Bello. Again Bello should be on this team ahead of all 4 that were chosen. I do understand why he chose them, but I think he may have left a horse In the barn this time.

 

Re: Stenson

 

He's there to partner with Rose. That tandem is Europe's best

 

Re: Garcia

 

They must be hoping he brings a Phil like quality and has partnered well with multiple partners, which may be a must with the rookies they have. Garcia/Rahm seems a lock if they plan to use him but he's played with Rory pretty well in the past.

[Kor.A.Door]

Re: Stenson

 

He's there to partner with Rose. That tandem is Europe's best

 

Re: Garcia

 

They must be hoping he brings a Phil like quality and has partnered well with multiple partners, which may be a must with the rookies they have. Garcia/Rahm seems a lock if they plan to use him but he's played with Rory pretty well in the past.

There's definitely was to use each of the 4, and I doubt they will all play every match, but you have a couple guys left off that really could have helped a lot. One of them (Bello)has been playing great the last month and could easily match up in foursomes with Rham, I can see why he would pick the 4 he did, but leaving Bello our like that was tough.

[burnsie]

So now that we know the first three, who will be the final pick??  I'm hearing a lot of chatter that Tony Finau is a shoe-in, however, Kinsner and his incredible putting gets my vote.  I'm a big Kuch fan but the reality is, he just hasn't earned it this time around.

[Mr. 82]

So now that we know the first three, who will be the final pick??  I'm hearing a lot of chatter that Tony Finau is a shoe-in, however, Kinsner and his incredible putting gets my vote.  I'm a big Kuch fan but the reality is, he just hasn't earned it this time around.

Kuchar was made a VIce-Captain, so he's not playing.  It's probably going to be Finau, although you certainly wouldn't go wrong with someone like Kisner.

[Kor.A.Door]

I was reading yesterday that Furyk has already called and talked to Finau, and the article basically said that Furyk told him he was the 4th, but had to wait to make it official.

[Kenny B]

I posted this for @fixyurdivot who was looking for this thread.  

 

Actually, I always thought that Xander should be on the team rather than Phil.  I like Phil, but he has just not been consistent this past few months.  Looking at today's leaderboard at the BMW... what if Xander wins?  Does Furyk still pick Finau?  I thought Finau should have been picked instead of Phil, and then maybe Phil if he played well this week, but Xander has been consistent all year and I like his game.

[GB13]

I posted this for @fixyurdivot who was looking for this thread.

 

Actually, I always thought that Xander should be on the team rather than Phil. I like Phil, but he has just not been consistent this past few months. Looking at today's leaderboard at the BMW... what if Xander wins? Does Furyk still pick Finau? I thought Finau should have been picked instead of Phil, and then maybe Phil if he played well this week, but Xander has been consistent all year and I like his game.

It still has to be Finau. I like X's game too but Finau is the better driver for foursomes and the better birdie maker for fourball. X would probably be better in singles but it is 2 or 3 points vs 1 point.

[Kenny B]

It still has to be Finau. I like X's game too but Finau is the better driver for foursomes and the better birdie maker for fourball. X would probably be better in singles but it is 2 or 3 points vs 1 point.

I don't disagree.  I wouldn't chose between Finau and X.  They both would be on my team.  Phil wouldn't be, but that's a moot point now.  

[Kenny B]

Furyk was going to pick who's hot.  Who's hot?

 

Xander is #1 this week so far.

Phil is dead last.

[GB13]

Furyk was going to pick who's hot. Who's hot?

 

Xander is #1 this week so far.

Phil is dead last.

I agree. Based on who's hot, it should be Tiger, X, Finau, BD.

I think it will probably be moot anyway. The US should have the firepower to win anyway.

[Kor.A.Door]

I don't disagree. I wouldn't chose between Finau and X. They both would be on my team. Phil wouldn't be, but that's a moot point now.

Why would you not have Phil? He shot 63 last Sunday,he won a tournament this season, and he's always been a good team player at the Ryder Cup. He's not playing well this week, but it could be that this course doesn't set up well for him.

Finau has played well, but has never won. Up until this week I thought he should be chosen, but if Xander wins this event, that has to make it difficult for Furyk. Xander has been playing well this season too, so I think with a win, it could be enough to jump over Finau.

[fixyurdivot]

I posted this for @fixyurdivot who was looking for this thread.  

 

Actually, I always thought that Xander should be on the team rather than Phil.  I like Phil, but he has just not been consistent this past few months.  Looking at today's leaderboard at the BMW... what if Xander wins?  Does Furyk still pick Finau?  I thought Finau should have been picked instead of Phil, and then maybe Phil if he played well this week, but Xander has been consistent all year and I like his game.

 

Thanks Kenny.  I knew I had seen a thread on this (after mine was merged).  What I wanted to say is; short of the one final selection, has there ever been a stronger USA team fielded?  Certainly I'm biased, but I just don't see the Europeans winning this year. I'm hopeful that Phil's A game shows up with the departure from standard tour play.

 

https://www.rydercup.com/team#team