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US Ryder Cup Team Prospects

PGA Tour
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Following a weekend of Phil's Colonial Miracle, The Mechanic driving to his Wentworth win, and the war of attrition for Seniors at Oak Hill, it's off to Jack's place this week.

"The Memorial Tournament presented by Morgan Stanley" at Muirfield Village outside Columbus, Ohio, is Jack Nicklaus's annual gift to golf, a top class tournament at a beautifully designed course attracting one of the year's best fields.

Amongst other distinguishing aspects at Memorial is the honouring of a historic figure from the annals of golf's past, from Bobby Jones and Walter Hagen to this year's "honoree", Tony Jacklin. To those of us of a certain age, Jacklin will always be the single player who transformed British golf, his televised hole-in-one, his Opens and Tour wins paving the way for swashbuckling Seve's pizzazz and the resurrection of the Ryder Cup.

In 1987, Jacklin and Nicklaus were matched as Ryder Cup captains at Jack's Muirfield Village masterpiece and, aided and abetted by the Spanish Conquistadors, Langer, Lyle, Faldo and Woosie, Tony Jacklin comprehensively outskippered Gentleman Jack and a new era in golf history had been established.

Six years later, Memorial was won by a young man from Massachusetts holing his bunker shot on #18 to defeat Corey Pavin by one shot. Paul Azinger went on to win the 1993 PGA Championship before sadly being sidelined with the non-Hodgkin lymphoma which would derail a brilliant career.

Fast-forward fifteen years and that same Zinger must be wondering what his Ryder Cup team will look like. With a dozen qualifying events to go, only Woods and Mickelson from the last Ryder / Presidents Cup squads have won a tournament since last August. Cink and Furyk have frequently flattered only to deceive but will make the Azinger team.

But what of the rest?

2006 Ryder Cup:
Vanished almost without trace: DiMarco, Henry, Wetterich, V.Taylor.
Veterans having distinctly average seasons: Toms, Verplank, Z.Johnson, C.Campbell.

2007 Presidents Cup:
As well as Toms, Verplank and Zach Johnson, Stricker and Chuckie Howell are slumping and Woody Austin has done little apart from his New Orleans (self-confessed) choking cameo. Hunter Mahan has shown only occasional glimpses of last summer's form while Lucas Glover has had a miserable year, looking thoroughly disaffected with his golfing life.

Following the four qualifying certainties, the automatic placings are now occupied by Boo Weekley, Anthony Kim, Johnson and Stricker, followed by:
Leonard
Holmes
Quinney
Snedeker.

Surely Azinger will pick Kim regardless of his results these next three months, but don't you always feel the US Team has a soft under-belly and that there's not much the Captain can do about it?

Zinger's young guns, say Mahan, Watney, O'Hair, Bubba Watson and even Snedeker are mostly firing blanks although none should be written off.

This could all change in one weekend, but would you be quaking in your boots if you were Nick Faldo???

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comment by kwiniaskagolfer (U6520188)

posted May 30, 2008

st: Casey 10th at Wentworth.
Looks like he hit the ball beautifully yesterday except two sevens, three over on the par fives, and 34 putts. Wouldn't be surprised to see his scores improve dramatically, but they need to.

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comment by undaground_al (U11087043)

posted May 30, 2008

yeah I agree, we definitely need him for the Ryder Cup and I'm sure he'll come good over the next couple of weeks

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comment by bbain (U11099296)

posted May 31, 2008

This article made very interesting reading. Like a good round of golf, it was well thought out, well-constructed; well laid-out, and greatly-enjoyed!
Brian.

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comment by Golfbug (U1702519)

posted May 31, 2008

The writer of this article is not much of a Luke Donald fan unfortunately.

Yeah, we would all love to see him play great and win every now and then, but Luke Donald, like Sergio, is a golfer who can tee it up against anyone.

Luke is playing well and his visit to Torrey Pines in 2 weeks time could see him being Europe's best chance.

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comment by kwiniaskagolfer (U6520188)

posted May 31, 2008

With only JB Holmes, Chopra and Wagner breaking 70 in the second round, "Team" England played well on Friday, tho Brian Davis once again contrives to miss a cut by one. Not so good by Storm either, surprised he bothered to come if he hasn't been playing, Muirfield Village hardly the place to find ones game beneath layers of rust.

Great opportunity for Casey, Donald, Poulter and Rose to re-energise their seasons this weekend. (Not to mention Pettersson and Chopra.)

Another top-ten after two Nationwide rounds by Greg Owen.

Harrington, Davis (2nd last year), Johnson and Laird the only GB&I contenders next week in Memphis; last year's meltdown merchant Adam Scott among the more surprising absentees.

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comment by kwiniaskagolfer (U6520188)

posted May 31, 2008

Golfbug, Just read yr note. Moi?

I like Luke Donald and champion him a lot, though not necessarily here.

And I agree he has a great chance at Torrey Pines, with a fine past record there (though he was surprisingly awol chasing guaranteed money this year).

He has shown the characteristic however of melting under pressure when in contention, but coming up on the rails to earn big place-money cheques when out of the heat, rather like my selections at Salisbury racecourse.

And his Ryder Cup record is second to few.

Let's see the Luke Donald of Honda a couple of years ago. We'll all be happier, including him.

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comment by kwiniaskagolfer (U6520188)

posted Jun 1, 2008

Faldo will be more pleased with The Memorial so far than Azinger - only four Americans in the third round top ten, but Justin Rose and Luke Donald with real chances to win on Sunday.

Justin has come out smelling like a, er um, Rose twice this week, holing a 100-yard pitch for eagle on Thursday and a bunker shot, again for eagle, on Saturday. Hopefully he can parlay that good fortune into his first Tour win. Regardless, a good finish will help him secure his Tour card and boost his Ryder Cup credentials.

Luke Donald has been putting beautifully this week but driving crooked; Tiger-crooked is fine, but Luke-crooked not so good and he needs to straighten things out to reach the top three.

Farewell to Casey and Poulter, their Ryder Cup qualification chances now looking very slim unless they can find a win sometime soon.

Zinger has only native Kentuckians (state of Valhalla) JB Holmes and Kenny Perry of his leading contenders in the top ten, but Nick Watney has shot 68 - 80 - 68 to keep himself in the tournament.

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comment by Blisteringblue (U1061680)

posted Jun 1, 2008

Saturday was a good round for Rose, after his waywood chipping on Friday night he could have easily slumped down the leaderboard again.

A solid top 3 finish (still think he will choke down the stretch !! and I'm a big fan) on a course set up so much like a US Open will set him up very nicely for Torrey Pines in a couple of weeks

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comment by Blisteringblue (U1061680)

posted Jun 2, 2008

LOL, I must be psychic smiley

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comment by kwiniaskagolfer (U6520188)

posted Jun 2, 2008

st1967: I thought Rose lost it when he appeared to misclub on 11, 12, 13 (bit of a tendancy to pull his short irons yesterday as well).

I won't be a big Rose fan until he delivers in the States but I was impressed with his play this week.

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