Looks like Watson and Walker are virtual locks. Kuchar, DJ and Spieth are extremely likely. The rest of the top nine is still up for grabs.

Who would you take as your three captain's picks of the nine below stand? I'd go with Tiger (assuming health), Keegan Bradley and Zach Johnson. If Tiger is not healthy, I'd probably take Webb.

****

As of 4/21

Bubba WATSON 6,258.984
Jimmy WALKER 4,459.071
Matt KUCHAR 3,925.333
Dustin JOHNSON 3,759.812
Jordan SPIETH 3,548.064
Patrick REED 3,038.426
Harris ENGLISH 2,680.515
Jason DUFNER 2,668.448
Phil MICKELSON 2,662.862

Zach JOHNSON 2,597.163
Chris KIRK 2,298.746
Webb SIMPSON 2,214.857
Ryan MOORE 2,174.655
Kevin STADLER 2,165.352
Rickie FOWLER 2,102.927
Matt EVERY 2,102.826
Jim FURYK 2,083.977
Will MACKENZIE 1,782.250
Keegan BRADLEY 1,650.245
Kevin NA 1,624.572
Russell HENLEY 1,573.658
Gary WOODLAND 1,572.610
Brian STUARD 1,512.974
Hunter MAHAN 1,495.036
Ryan PALMER 1,485.231
Bill HAAS 1,389.383
Scott STALLINGS 1,235.546
Brandt SNEDEKER 1,226.855
Pat PEREZ 1,220.216
Charles HOWELL III 1,203.504

****

6/23 Update:

1. Bubba Watson - 6,736.953
2. Jimmy Walker - 5,379.505
3. Dustin Johnson - 4,844.499
4. Matt Kuchar - 4,716.483
5. Jordan Spieth - 4,422.573
6. Jim Furyk - 4,302.834
7. Rickie Fowler - 3,831.433
8. Jason Dufner - 3,466.285
9. Patrick Reed - 3,132.032

10. Phil Mickelson - 3,095.086
11. Chris Kirk - 3,020.729
12. Harris English - 2,957.498
13. Zach Johnson - 2,888.578
14. Kevin Na - 2,735.506
15. Brendon Todd - 2,713.691
16. Ryan Moore - 2,687.977
17. Webb Simpson - 2,607.093
18. Keegan Bradley - 2,601.726
19. Erik Compton - 2,441.893
20. Matt Every - 2,404.426
21. Kevin Stadler - 2,257.576
22. Gary Woodland - 2,173.241
23. Kevin Streelman - 2,125.677
24. J.B. Holmes - 2,113.508
25. Ryan Palmer - 1,817.088
26. Brandt Snedeker - 1,815.776
27. Bill Haas - 1,799.204
28. Will MacKenzie - 1,782.250
29. Charles Howell III - 1,778.539
30. Russell Henley - 1,752.119
31. Brian Stuard - 1,648.307

[This message has been edited by Deluxe (edited 6/24/2014 12:16p).]

Same. You pick Tiger if healthy, and then I feel like Zach and Keegan are just the right guys. If no Tiger, I don't know, I might go Rickie Fowler. He makes lots of birdies and I feel like he is trending upwards with his swing. Plus his short game is on point right now. He led the Masters in scrambling, IIRC.

Good call with Fowler. I definitely like him in a Ryder Cup setting. He beat American arch-nemesis Ian Poulter in the first round of the match play this year. Fearless. Makes alot of birdies. Was part of the 2010 road team. I'd probly take him over Webb if push came to shove.

I agree with those choices. I think Keegan and ZJ are clear choices but if Tiger isn't healthy then I think you save that pick for someone who gets hot.

I like Keegan based on how he played last time, but if he was slumping I'd have no problem not including him.

Agree on Fowler.

I'd take Johnson, no question, then Fowler and Simpson... Obviously, I'm assuming Tiger isn't back healthy and playing well by that time.

Another thing to note is Mahan has shown his match play skills when he won the WGC match play a few years ago...and against McIlroy in the final. He has a history of playing good match play golf.

Victor Dubuisson vs. Fowler would be great to watch.

Give me Fowler, Keegan, and Ryan Moore over Johnson, unless Johnson picks up his play over the summer. Moore has a good match play record as an amateur. Johnson's career Ryder Cup record is 3-3-1, which isn't horrible, but also doesn't make him an automatic pick IMO. I would hope the US Team has learned it's lesson about putting guys on the team just because they've been there before.

Interesting point on Moore.

I actually kinda like ZJ in team play formats. He and Dufner have made a great duo in the past two team play events (2012 Ryder Cup and 2013 Presidents Cup). They went 4-2 in foursomes/four ball. One of the two losses was the epic Saturday afternoon match at the 2012 Ryder Cup when Poulter birdied the last five holes.

Zach also won his individual matches in each cup. Beat McDowell in 2012.

I would NOT take Tiger. His Ryder cup record is just below .500 overall. This, of course, includes the time frame when he dominated golf. He just has not been getting it done.

Edit: WTF was I thinking? Ratings would suffer without Tiger going 1 & 3.

[This message has been edited by 93MarineHorn (edited 4/21/2014 3:06p).]

^I think that's silly.

At the very least, you take him and sit him out of foursomes. He's one of the best individual match players out there and still a quality four ball player.

At the 2012 Ryder Cup, he played great in both of his four ball matches. On Friday afternoon, he shot 7-under on his ball but fell victim to Colsaerts' 9 birdies and an eagle. The other he played his last six holes 4-under and almost halved the match.

Stricker didn't provide much help either... only made 4 birdies in the two matches combined.

Tiger and Kuchar seemed to click well at the Presidents Cup last year. That's one option for Watson. I personally would love to see Tiger paired with Spieth, Reed or Bradley. Get him out there with someone young and fiery.

Deluxe - Tiger loses more than he wins, more so lately. However you want to explain it away, it doesn't change that.

quote:

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Tiger loses more than he wins, more so lately

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Please elaborate

His overall record is under .500, is that elaborate enough? He loses to inferior opponents, guys he normally beats on tour.

Deluxe - To be fair, you could probably say that about most US players. So I guess Tiger is "holding his own" relative to his teammates. I guess watching him lose so many matches to relative nobodies makes it seem worse.

Would you not take Mickelson either? His overall record is below .500 [you acknowledged this in your second post].

There's alot of factors that go into winning and losing a match. For example, Tiger was 0-3-1 at the 2012 Ryder Cup, but Friday morning foursomes is the only match he truly deserved to lose.

-Played poorly on Friday morning foursomes and lost
-Played extremely well in Friday afternoon four ball (shot 7-under) but ran into the hottest round of the tournament (Colsaerts)
-Played poorly on the front against Garcia/Donald on Saturday afternoon, but shot 31 on the back nine to almost singlehandedly come back and win. No help whatsoever from Stricker.
-Halved his singles match with Molinari (was 1-up with one to go but hole 18 didn't matter because the Euros had already clinched)

I agree that Tiger shouldn't necessarily be a five match player anymore. If I'm Watson, I'd only play him in singles and four ball. He can still be very effective in those formats.

[This message has been edited by Deluxe (edited 4/21/2014 3:44p).]

Just saw your second post. Like you said, Tiger and Mickelson's records are probably a little worse than your avg Team USA guy because they were part of the 2002, 2004 and 2006 teams that got thrashed haha

Right now it's looking like July/August before he returns. Ryder Cup is October right? That's only a few months to see how his game is and you know he only plays certain events every year. He'll probably miss the fedex playoffs due to the injury. For me, he would have to win a tournament in that time frame to consider being on the team as a pick.

Ryder Cup is in Sept

Its also in Scotland where Phil played VERY well last year

Leave Tiger and Webb at home. Fowler, Bradley, and one of Moore/ZJ.

Latest standings:

http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.131.html


1. Bubba Watson - 6,736.953
2. Jimmy Walker - 5,379.505
3. Dustin Johnson - 4,844.499
4. Matt Kuchar - 4,716.483
5. Jordan Spieth - 4,422.573
6. Jim Furyk - 4,302.834
7. Rickie Fowler - 3,831.433
8. Jason Dufner - 3,466.285
9. Patrick Reed - 3,132.032

10. Phil Mickelson - 3,095.086
11. Chris Kirk - 3,020.729
12. Harris English - 2,957.498
13. Zach Johnson - 2,888.578
14. Kevin Na - 2,735.506
15. Brendon Todd - 2,713.691
16. Ryan Moore - 2,687.977
17. Webb Simpson - 2,607.093
18. Keegan Bradley - 2,601.726
19. Erik Compton - 2,441.893
20. Matt Every - 2,404.426
21. Kevin Stadler - 2,257.576
22. Gary Woodland - 2,173.241
23. Kevin Streelman - 2,125.677
24. J.B. Holmes - 2,113.508
25. Ryan Palmer - 1,817.088
26. Brandt Snedeker - 1,815.776
27. Bill Haas - 1,799.204
28. Will MacKenzie - 1,782.250
29. Charles Howell III - 1,778.539
30. Russell Henley - 1,752.119
31. Brian Stuard - 1,648.307

I like the way the team is shaping up. Hopefully Mickelson overtakes Reed for the last spot. Then we have some really good choices for the three captains picks. Obviously Watson will pick Tiger IF he's healthy and gets a few solid tournaments under his belt. To me, the other two choices are obvious: Zach Johnson and Keegan Bradley.

http://www.golfchannel.com/news/golf-central-blog/bradley-has-ryder-cup-mind-open-finale/

Also, glad Fowler is back in the top nine.

Not sure I want Reed to fall out, at least not yet.

He had a 6-0 match play record when his NCAA team won two nattys. He's 1-1 as a pro.

I don't like him all that much either but I'm tired of losing the cup. If he can't get back on track to playing like he was 6 months ago, well then maybe it's best he fall off the list.

I like Furyk and Fowler. No to Keegan Bradley , that dude is a wack job.

Agdotcom, I like Reed's credentials too and if he falls out of the top 9, I'd definitely consider him as a captain's pick if he's playing well.

Bradley hasn't played too well recently, but he and Mickelson are the best foursomes/four ball combo America's had in a long time. At least in my opinion.

quote:

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You pick Tiger if healthy

---

Why?

What's Eldrick's Ryder Cup record?

You pick Tiger because he's one of the 12 best American players (when healthy that is)

quote:

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quote:

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You pick Tiger if healthy

---

Why?

---

So obsessed over tiger

quote:

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What's Eldrick's Ryder Cup record?

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Look it up.

I wouldn't take Moore. He's a head case. I like dufner if he'd wake his game up.

As for captain picks I'd definitely go with fowler, zj. Maybe furyk.

[This message has been edited by dcrewint (edited 6/23/2014 11:20p).
I like snedeker too.

[This message has been edited by dcrewint (edited 6/23/2014 11:21p).]

Fowler and Furyk are in the top 9

Wouldn't mind seeing Woodland play his way on the team. And Bradley just had a top 5 finish in the US Open and top 20 at Travelers, so maybe his game is rounding in to form after tinkering with his swing some. Outside chance- JB Holmes. Won earlier this year and actually is a vet from last time we won.

okay i'm confused. I remember the Ryder Cup points accounting for the 2 seasons leading up to the Ryder Cup. does that not play a factor anymore? How is Tiger not leading after his 5 win 2013 season?

If Tiger weren't healthy:
Fowler, Keegan, Z. Johnson

Since it looks like he will be healthy:
I reserve my judgment to see how the top 9 shape out between now and then. Copping out.