Tiger Woods Ryder Cup chances depend on next three tournments

[Sportsguy9695]

Ryder Cup captain Tom Watson says that Tiger Woods will be on the U.S. team if he's healthy and playing well.

But what if he's healthy and not playing at all?

Woods is at No. 209 in the FedExCup standings and needs to get to No. 125 to qualify for the playoffs. This next month of three tournaments -- the British Open, Bridgestone Invitational and PGA Championship -- will decide whether he's in Gleneagles for the Ryder Cup the last weekend in September.

"He'll be considered less of a pick than if he didn't have a track record going into the Ryder Cup," Watson said last week. "He'd be the first to tell you, 'I haven't been playing.' How he's been playing and if he's healthy, those are the two factors that I'll weigh in choosing him. That's just common sense, in my opinion."

Source: ESPN

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I think it was golfdigest, but there's a recent comment from Haney...basically saying Tiger doesn't care as much as he used to.

I think he intended that to be a slight only because he fired him, but maybe not...I'm thinking if he's a decent dad that would almost be expected...look at Stricker. His ex says he's a great dad, his kids love being with him, etc...if true, that's more important than golf at this point.

Coming off such a good year last year, I don't think TW thinks he's finished, but I do think the drive to 19 is waning a little.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

If Tiger Woods has a pulse he will be a captains pick at the very least.

The PGA is already losing their shirts with his absence. They could care less how well he is playing at the time, it you don't pick him it's like throwing money out the window.

 

[Sportsguy9695]

as exciting as tiger makes it when he does play. I still hope he doesnt play in the ryder cup. cant stand the guy after what he did to his wife and more importantly his family

 

[ATL96Steeler]

If Tiger Woods has a pulse he will be a captains pick at the very least.

The PGA is already losing their shirts with his absence. They could care less how well he is playing at the time, it you don't pick him it's like throwing money out the window.

The RC is probably the one event that doesn't need Tiger to be successful in terms of ratings, but I agree with your point...He would have to miss the cut in all 3 events for Watson to pull the plug.

 

[HammerDown]

 

[antone112]

The fact that he has come back this early tells me he does care about making the team. Given his lack of preparation time since his surgery it didn't make much sense to play these last two tournaments unless he's trying to make the team. Watching him this week, he obviously wasn't ready to win or even be competitive. Even Tiger of the last 3 years didn't play this bad.

I hope he makes the team, I think he had his best Ryder Cup the last time around. Made something like 16 birdies on Fri & Sat but due to his competition and partner (Stricker) he go no points out of any of those matches.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

I put this in the other thread ..but it should be here too.


Think about this for a second. If Tom Watson uses a Captain's pick on Tiger Woods, he is picking a guy that he beat by 5 strokes at 64 years old at this years British Open.

 

[TxHeat]

He needs to stay home.

 

[HUBSTER]

I'm sure television ratings will be higher if Tom Watson selects Phil and Tiger as captains picks. I wonder if that factors into his decision?

 

[RaiderZar]

I put this in the other thread ..but it should be here too.


Think about this for a second. If Tom Watson uses a Captain's pick on Tiger Woods, he is picking a guy that he beat by 5 strokes at 64 years old at this years British Open.

Hopefully, he would do the "right" thing & and bow out before TW (the original) has to make his decision.

 

[Loneranger]

If Tiger Woods has a pulse he will be a captains pick at the very least.

The PGA is already losing their shirts with his absence. They could care less how well he is playing at the time, it you don't pick him it's like throwing money out the window.

Unfortunately this is exactly what it boils down to. This isn't Tom Watson's pick, this has already been decided by others. No matter what ,Tiger will be there and Watson will smile about it even though he has no say in this matter.

 

[Mondo Jay]

Lets get someone on the team that isn't a broken down shell of their former selves...
Not sure Tiger can play more than 18 holes in a given day anyway.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I put this in the other thread ..but it should be here too.


Think about this for a second. If Tom Watson uses a Captain's pick on Tiger Woods, he is picking a guy that he beat by 5 strokes at 64 years old at this years British Open.

Yea...I saw it...I think Watson is a straight shooter and his own man...he's going to pick who he thinks will get him points and right now I don't think TW can win points. But, 2 events after back surgery @ 38/39 y/o Watson may not be ready to write him off yet....if he shows any kind of form in his next event (meaning a top 10) I think he'll pick him.

Look at it like this...Phil is #10 now...he's a lock if he doesn't make it to the top 9 in fact whomever ends up in the 10th spot should be a lock.

That leaves...Keegan & Webb as guys with team play experience showing any decent form of late...next tier...Patrick (Top 5) Reed has cooled off, Harris English, Chris Kirk, Brendan Todd...I'd would want to see a win from them before I selected any of that group.

The pickins get even slimmer after them.

 

[SoCalWizFan]

Lets get someone on the team that isn't a broken down shell of their former selves...
Not sure Tiger can play more than 18 holes in a given day anyway.

If you want to go that route you might want to consider getting rid of a bunch of the players from the last Ryder Cup who were major choke artists on the last day.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

If you want to go that route you might want to consider getting rid of a bunch of the players from the last Ryder Cup who were major choke artists on the last day.

This imo is pretty cut and dry...Watson will pick #10 from the points list...then he'll take Keegan &Webb if Tiger is still sucking wind...if Tiger shows any form he'll take Keegan & Tiger imo.

All the other guys with a shot...English, etc will have to earn a spot on the points list...if he does take Tiger it will be a little easier to sit him on the 36 hole days b/c of the back, etc.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

If Tiger Woods has a pulse he will be a captains pick at the very least.

The PGA is already losing their shirts with his absence. They could care less how well he is playing at the time, it you don't pick him it's like throwing money out the window.

I said this a couple of weeks ago. But with all that has happened, there is no way I would still believe this.
And yet Tom Watson has stated that basically the choice to play in the Ryder cup is up to Tiger.

Stuff like this makes me want to pull for the Europeans in the Ryder cup.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I said this a couple of weeks ago. But with all that has happened, there is no way I would still believe this.
And yet Tom Watson has stated that basically the choice to play in the Ryder cup is up to Tiger.

Stuff like this makes me want to pull for the Europeans in the Ryder cup.

I think you know I like Tiger (the player, can't say I care much for him as a husband, etc.) and it goes without saying that he sucks right now and doesn't deserve a spot on the RC team.

That said...for forget about ratings (this is one event that won't be effected if he's there or not imo) now that the 9 are in stone on merit...the choices are not real good.

Dustin is out...Dufner is ailing and aside from Keegan...who else would you pick?

Rhetorical...Anybody but Tiger I know...lol...but seriously...Webb? Ryan Moore? English? I think if anyone was really playing well Watson would have the balls to leave Tiger off, but the pickins are pretty slim.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

I think you know I like Tiger (the player, can't say I care much for him as a husband, etc.) and it goes without saying that he sucks right now and doesn't deserve a spot on the RC team.

That said...for forget about ratings (this is one event that won't be effected if he's there or not imo) now that the 9 are in stone on merit...the choices are not real good.

Dustin is out...Dufner is ailing and aside from Keegan...who else would you pick?

Rhetorical...Anybody but Tiger I know...lol...but seriously...Webb? Ryan Moore? English? I think if anyone was really playing well Watson would have the balls to leave Tiger off, but the pickins are pretty slim.

Even with his injury (real or not) I would not have a problem with Tiger getting a spot if not for 1 issue. Everybody in golf seems to forget the status of Tiger's game.

He has no confidence in his driver at all, and even has trouble with his 3 and 5 wood. It's one thing to have this problem here in the states when even the frigging US Open no longer has any rough.

But we are playing across the pond with knee high wispy grass. That is sure to compound his driving woe's. And if you notice, Tiger is always well back in the fairway. He seems to always need 185-160 to get home. On a windy links course, that is not ideal.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Agreed...he played a few good holes to note that he's not a total washout...I think you already have 3 RC rookies on the team in Reed, Spieth, and Walker...Spieth not so much b/c he did play on the PC team.

I think Keegan should be a shoo in, Simpson is not hurt (that I know of) but his game is also in the tank...I think you roll the dice on healthy players too, but I also understand that Tiger is not making it on merit anyway...so if he tells Watson he wants to play, I would have to think his experience in the team room and helping the young guys out with expectations, etc. maybe get a point or a half point is why you pick him.

He's not going to get you 2 or 3 points...that's pretty much a given.