Ryder Cup

[Tidergolfer]

Personally, I believe Europeans win it, as noted on the leaderboard yesterday, lot of the younger Europeans playing really well right now. I hope that I'm wrong but Tiger and Phil not playing great golf, so who do we have that will challenge? Discussions please!

 

 

September 25-30, 2012 Medinah Country Club, Medinah Illinois,U.S.A.

 

As it stands now, top eight plus 2 captains picks. Who will be the picks for both teams?

 

Team USA Captain

Davis Love III

 

1 Tiger Woods

2 Bubba Watson

3 Jason Dufner

4 Keegan Bradley

5 Webb Simpson

6 Zach Johnson

7 Matt Kuchar

8 Phil Mickelson

 

 

Team Europe Captain

José María Olazábal's

 

1 Rory MCILROY

2 Justin ROSE

3 Graeme MCDOWELL

4 Paul LAWRIE

5 Francesco MOLINIARI

6 Peter HANSON

7 Luke Donald

8 Martin KAYMER

[Richie3Jack]

I think it will be close, much closer than Pete Cowen's prediction that the European B Team could beat the US team. In fact, I think the US Team has a great shot of beating the Euros. The key is who DL III picks and how he pairs them up. I'm afraid he'll pick somebody like Furyk who has been a terrible Ryder Cup player. Or he'll have Phil go in each of the matches, another terrible Ryder Cup player. He needs to find some guys that putt well to make up for some of the poor putters on the team like Bubba. I would also try to make adjustments on the fly as somebody like Webb Simpson has not played well since the US Open, but he's a bit of a streaky player and when he's on, he's really great.

 

I would probably avoid having Tiger play Rory if I can. Rory is hot now and I would try to get a team together that I think could give Rory and teammate a tough go at it. That way if you lose, it's expected and you can use Tiger in another match where he and teammate would be projected to win. And if you win, it's a great upset that gives momentum to the US team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3JACK

[RoverRick]

 

 

Team USA Captain

Davis Love III

 

1 Tiger Woods

2 Bubba Watson

3 Jason Dufner

4 Keegan Bradley

5 Webb Simpson

6 Zach Johnson

7 Matt Kuchar

8 Phil Mickelson

 

 

Team Europe Captain

José María Olazábal's

 

1 Rory MCILROY

2 Justin ROSE

3 Graeme MCDOWELL

4 Paul LAWRIE

5 Francesco MOLINIARI

6 Peter HANSON

7 Luke Donald

8 Martin KAYMER

 

 

Euros will win? Are you freaking kidding me. Of these 8 US players, I would put money on all of the but Phil without thinking about it compared to the Euros who I would only bet on Graeme McDowell right now.

 

 

Yeah, yeah I know Rory won yesterday and is the king of the world at number 1 for a couple of weeks. But look for Luke Donald or more likely Tiger to dethrone him rather quickly. Rory has a habit of floundering around after a win. We will see and I may change my mind in two weeks after we see if he can maintain his game.

 

I guess Donald and Rose deserve mention because I expect they will play well but not as well as the US.

[Tidergolfer]

I like the fact that Davis added Freddie as assistant captain, I'm hoping that home field advantage helps us alot. The pairings that Davis puts together is going to be critical.

I wouldn't be surprised if Davis added Steve Stricker and David Toms as his captain's picks, to give us some more experience.

 

This is some of my matchups I would like to see.

 

Woods-Mahan

Mickelson-Bradley

Watson-Johnson

Dufner-Kuchar

[ZenGolfer]

USA simply because the Americans are playing better this year. Most of the Euro team has struggled this year.

[Richie3Jack]

My picks would be:

 

Bo Van Pelt

Steve Stricker

Ben Curtis

Brandt Snedeker

 

The team could use some better putters with Dufner and Watson being 2 key guys that are not exactly putting great this year. Phil has putted well this year, but you never know with him and quite frankly, he's awful in the Ryder Cup. We need to find somebody that can get hot with the putter and ride them a bit and the more guys we find like that, the better.

 

I think that Medinah is a good fit for the US Team. I would probably try and get Keegan Bradley going early. I know he's a rookie, but he seems very competitive and has a great game for both alternate shot and best ball. I would actually stick him and Stricker together in alternate shot and as a surprise, Tiger and Webb Simpson together in alternate shot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

3JACK

[revkev]

Tiger is not playing well? He's the leading money winner on Tour for crying out loud. He's not the dominant Tiger of the mid to early 00's but he's playing plenty well enough to be a force in the Ryder Cup. Last I checked the score in the majors was US 2, Euro's 1 with a non-Ryder competitor taking the other one.

 

Don't let the results of one tournament sway your thinking particularly since that tournament was played on a very unique golf course. Medinah will be much more US friendly and because of that I'd go US. The teams will match up very well because there are great golfers in every corner of this earth. I'll go with the home team. I'd go with the Euro's if the tournament were at a more Euro friendly course - that's how close I think the teams will be.

[Kanoito]

I always root for team USA, but I think Europe will this one

[GolfSpy WD]

If you look at consistency between the two groups, USA has them beat. The only exception is Gmac, who's been at the top for a while now, but never in the winner's circle. So it all depends on the European team, if they come with their A game, then they win, otherwise they lose. In other words, Europe's A game will trump USA's A game, but USA's B game will trump Europe's B game.

[revkev]

How about C games? Just kidding of course.

 

The reality of these cups is that you never have everyone on your team hitting on all cylanders. It does seem to even itself out though - I still like the US because the course will be set up to favor them. That's a big deal.

[BK in TEXAS]

Too bad Rory is on the wrong team. He and Tiger would make a fun pair to watch play together.

[ZenGolfer]

Too bad Rory is on the wrong team. He and Tiger would make a fun pair to watch play together.

I think it would be even more fun to see them go head to head.

[Kanoito]

I think it would be even more fun to see them go head to head.

 

Agree!

[BK in TEXAS]

I think it would be even more fun to see them go head to head.

Maybe. They seem to like each other though....I get the feeling they would have fun & feed off each other and just smoke their opponents!

[ZenGolfer]

Maybe. They seem to like each other though....I get the feeling they would have fun & feed off each other and just smoke their opponents!

It all goes out the window through during the Ryder Cup. People start playing for national pride and the friendships get put on hold. The Ryder and President Cups have been pretty bitter as of late.

[Tidergolfer]

Thanks RP, I'm enjoying the site alot, I look forward to spending some time on here.

Here's another question for you guys.... Who needs this win more, Americans? or Euro's?

 

Tidergolfer

RTR!