"Woods say Watson should pick him for the Ryder Cup". Is he serious?

[KCRazorbackfan]

Coming off the worst finish in a major and only beat three other people and he wants to take a more qualified (and hungrier) players spot?  Give us a freaking break.

Retire Tiger; you don't have "It" anymore.

[Hawgndaaz]

yeah he should retire for sure. he only won 5 times last year...

[CallThemHawgs!]

yeah he should retire for sure. he only won 5 times last year...

Last year.

[Hawgndaaz]

Last year.

ha, he's played twice this year.

[Hawg414]

yeah he should retire for sure. he only won 5 times last year...

Last year.

let this exchange serve as a testament to just how good he really is.  he has set a standard which only applies to himself.  suddenly 5 wins last year, but none this year after a back surgery, relegates him to needs-to-retire status.

bubba watson, ricky fowler, dustin johnson and sergio garcia COMBINED dont have 5 PGA tour wins in the last TWO years.

[userpick]

Where did you see he said he should be picked? I saw where he was hopeful he plays well enough to make the team. Not saying it isn't true, just want to know where you read that.

[cosmodrum]

Last year.

haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

[Hawgndaaz]

let this exchange serve as a testament to just how good he really is.  he has set a standard which only applies to himself.  suddenly 5 wins last year, but none this year after a back surgery, relegates him to needs-to-retire status.

bubba watson, ricky fowler, dustin johnson and sergio garcia COMBINED dont have 5 PGA tour wins in the last TWO years.

the return argument is that none of them were majors, which is all he cares about.

[KCRazorbackfan]

Where did you see he said he should be picked? I saw where he was hopeful he plays well enough to make the team. Not saying it isn't true, just want to know where you read that.

On Yahoo this am.

[GolfNut57]

Where did you see he said he should be picked? I saw where he was hopeful he plays well enough to make the team. Not saying it isn't true, just want to know where you read that.

Woods was quoted after his final round yesterday saying if it was up to him he would pick himself to play in it. He's hoping Watson agrees.

[gotyacovered]

tiger > stricker

[CallThemHawgs!]

let this exchange serve as a testament to just how good he really is.  he has set a standard which only applies to himself.  suddenly 5 wins last year, but none this year after a back surgery, relegates him to needs-to-retire status.

bubba watson, ricky fowler, dustin johnson and sergio garcia COMBINED dont have 5 PGA tour wins in the last TWO years.

I should have said "Pre surgery/time off/whatever the hell else is wrong with him"

[CallThemHawgs!]

There is no way you can put him on the team RIGHT NOW.

Last year, yeah, obviously...

[pigture perfect]

With his medical issues, I don't think he wins 2/3's of the tournements he has if he played a full schedule. He was great, but he needs to start getting ready for the senior tour in a few years.

[clutch]

There is no way you can put him on the team RIGHT NOW.

Last year, yeah, obviously...

That's the thing though, they don't have to put him on the team RIGHT NOW. He's only played 6 competitive rounds since his surgery. Can't really expect much out of him right at this minute. Could be a different story by the time the selections are made. Maybe not though.

[root_hawg]

He probably is going to only get 3 more tourneys before the picks are made because he probably isn't going to make the playoffs.

[Iwastherein1969]

if Watson does pick Tiger, all the Euro's will do is "Tiger proof" the golf course by placing bunkers around the 270 mark to the 285 mark....this will force Woods to lay back with an iron (which he has become accustomed) and hit his approach shot with a 4 iron or more leaving himself with long birdie putts....Tiger's swing, which no longer reaches parallel, doesn't have nearly the carry it once had and if he is to carry the bunkers like most of the younger players, he will start spraying his driver as he did in the recent British Open...it really is sad to see (no sarcasm either) and quite ironic, that how Tiger used to blow the old out of shape white men off the course by hitting it a mile making par 5's obsolete has turned into his achilles heel...you could see the look of consternation on his face at Hoy Lake, the fairways weren't dry and his irons couldn't get him close enough for his approaches to be competitive...father time doesn't stop for anyone, not even Tiger Woods

[root_hawg]

Pick him and sit him to the singles

[Rzbakfromwaybak]

Don't believe he is playing well enough to be on the Ryder team right now.  He is recovering from surgery, & just hasn't played very much golf this year.  If he was healthy, it would probably be a different story.  There are just too many other player's that are currently playing better than he is.

[gotyacovered]

just to clarify what some of you are saying.

me, you, stricker and tiger are standing on the first tee, $100 nassau... you get to pick first--you are taking stricker?

[Hawgndaaz]

just to clarify what some of you are saying.

me, you, stricker and tiger are standing on the first tee, $100 nassau... you get to pick first--you are taking stricker?

all the old white guys are

[gotyacovered]

all the old white guys are

everybody has their price, even old white guys... up the bet.

i am not a huge tiger fan. i think he has 2 more majors in him, max. but guess what...? there are only two guys out there when playing good that nobody can beat... and he is one of them. he can beat 50% of the people in the top 150 when playing bad.

stricker is an awesome dude, he is not as good as tiger, nuff said. put him on the Ryder Cup team and bring it back.

[root_hawg]

At this point, I think you take Tom Watson before him!

[gotyacovered]

At this point, I think you take Tom Watson before him!

thats silly.

[root_hawg]

Watson beat him like by 7 strokes this weekend.

[gotyacovered]

Watson beat him like by 7 strokes this weekend.

How many other Ryder cup players did he beat by 7 (or more)

The dude just had back surgery and that was his second tourney back, what did you expect?

[alwaysondbigscreen]

I honestly dont know the answer, but i seem to remember that his rider cup record hasnt been  all that stellar, is that correct?

[gotyacovered]

I honestly dont know the answer, but i seem to remember that his rider cup record hasnt been  all that stellar, is that correct?

if you call losing with one of the biggest leads ever, 'not that stellar,' then yes.

i am ready for some of these 'older dudes' to let these younger aggressive fellas play. the only one i can think of right now is stricker, but i think there are one or two more.

[root_hawg]

Of guys that will be on the ryder cup; Bubba and can't think of any others

[GolfNut57]

The Tiger Woods of yesteryear is gone, never to return leaving a shell of his former self. And jmo but no player should be selected to the Ryder Cup for what he has done in the past. It is all about who the best players are RIGHT NOW for the USA team. I am tired of watching the Europeans kick our butts for that cup. And they have done it plenty, even when Woods was on the team. Time to let the fresh meat play.

[gotyacovered]

as of current standings post british open that watson beat (for team usa):
bubba
matt kuchar
duffner tied him
that doesnt count the ones that missed the cut (if there were any) or the ones on the borderline of ryder cup points

players he beat for EU
jason day
luke donald
martin kaymer
(not counting the player who missed the cut) or the ones on the borderline of ryder cup points

logic fail.

[gotyacovered]

The Tiger Woods of yesteryear is gone, never to return leaving a shell of his former self. And jmo but no player should be selected to the Ryder Cup for what he has done in the past. It is all about who the best players are RIGHT NOW for the USA team. I am tired of watching the Europeans kick our butts for that cup. And they have done it plenty, even when Woods was on the team. Time to let the fresh meat play.

werd.

and i stand by my original premise... tiger>stricker.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

as of current standings post british open that watson beat (for team usa):
bubba
matt kuchar
duffner tied him
that doesnt count the ones that missed the cut (if there were any) or the ones on the borderline of ryder cup points

players he beat for EU
jason day
luke donald
martin kaymer
(not counting the player who missed the cut) or the ones on the borderline of ryder cup points

logic fail.

He's an Aussie, dude.  Don't think the Euros would let him play on their team.

[Iwastherein1969]

I honestly dont know the answer, but i seem to remember that his rider cup record hasnt been  all that stellar, is that correct?

I addressed this earlier....only Mickelson has more losses in the Ryder Cup format of play (18 losses) than Tiger and Jim Furyk (both with 17 losses)...the Euro's have ZERO fear of Woods whether he's playing well and 25 years old or is coming off back surgery and can't get the club to parallel at age 38....what's that ESPN show NNL (Numbers Never Lie), Tiger has never excelled as you would expect the second greatest player to ever swing the club to excell in a team format

[al2305]

just to clarify what some of you are saying.

me, you, stricker and tiger are standing on the first tee, $100 nassau... you get to pick first--you are taking stricker?

Great comment.

It sounds like Tiger is healthy. He's still in his 30s.  He's arguably the greatest player to ever play the game....EVER!!!!!! Not just over that last 10,25, or even 100yrs...he is at least top 2 all time. He's got a couple more months to play and practice his way back into shape. It's pretty obvious u pick that guy.

[roundball]

Tiger not getting picked maybe what he needs. Tiger has one more chance to bring the excitement and dominance we saw from him for so many years. We may or may not see it. It will be worth watching him try though.

[root_hawg]

It would be difficult to not pick the 2nd best player of all time but there is a risk that since he probably won't make the playoffs..how much tourney time he gets...would he go overseas to get competitive rounds...doubt it ego would not let him

[Pulled(PP)pork]

because Im lazy and don't want to research it, how is Tiger's record with the Presidents Cup?


PP

[Pulled(PP)pork]

If this page is accurate, Woods' record in the President's Cup is 24-15-1.

interesting....


PP

[root_hawg]

13-14-2 in Ryder Cup

[Pulled(PP)pork]

dare I say he takes the PC more seriously or is it the level of competition?

PP

[root_hawg]

Competition

[EastexHawg]

Nicklaus played his last Ryder Cup at age 41 in 1981. Tiger will be 39 this year.  No one plays Ryder Cup forever...and Nickaus was 17-8 for his career while Tiger is something like 13-17.

[gotyacovered]

what is strickers RC record? what about all the other US players?

[Pulled(PP)pork]

well, it appears that Tiger has had more RC appearances than Jack.....now who's the greatest???


PP

[EastexHawg]

well, it appears that Tiger has had more RC appearances than Jack.....now who's the greatest???


PP

Ryder Cup selection was different in those days.  There was a rule that you had to be a PGA Tour member for five years before you were eligible.  Nicklaus won two majors each in 1963 and 1966 but didn't play in the next Ryder Cups matches after those years.  In fact, he had won the career grand slam and had seven majors...among his 30 Tour wins...by the time he made his first appearance in 1969.

In the 1963 matches you had the 1962 U.S. Open champ and reigning Masters and PGA champ sitting at home during the competition.  In 1967 he had won three majors in the preceding two years...with six top threes in eight majors...when he sat out the matches.  Seems unbelievable now.

Jack wasn't chosen for the 1979 U.S. team despite the fact that he had won four times in 1978, including the British Open.  He had a total of six top tens in the eight majors played from 1978-79...not to mention that by that time he had 15 majors and had long been considered the greatest of all time.  Back then Ryder Cup team selection wasn't considered a career achievement award.

[Pulled(PP)pork]

Ryder Cup selection was different in those days.  There was a rule that you had to be a PGA Tour member for five years before you were eligible.  Nicklaus won two majors each in 1963 and 1966 but didn't play in the next Ryder Cups matches after those years.  In fact, he had won the career grand slam and had seven majors...among his 30 Tour wins...by the time he made his first appearance in 1969.

In the 1963 matches you had the 1962 U.S. Open champ and reigning Masters and PGA champ sitting at home during the competition.  In 1967 he had won three majors in the preceding two years...with six top threes in eight majors...when he sat out the matches.  Seems unbelievable now.

Jack wasn't chosen for the 1979 U.S. team despite the fact that he had won four times in 1978, including the British Open.  He had a total of six top tens in the eight majors played from 1978-79...not to mention that by that time he had 15 majors and had long been considered the greatest of all time.  Back then Ryder Cup team selection wasn't considered a career achievement award.

don't rain on my parade, lol


PP

[GolfNut57]

don't rain on my parade, lol


PP

Rain on it? He just blew it away with a hurricane. 

[EastexHawg]

Rain on it? He just blew it away with a hurricane. 

I doubt many people know about the way Ryder Cup teams used to be picked, especially the five year PGA membership thing.  I remember years ago seeing that Nicklaus didn't play until after his 8th year on tour and knew there had to be some reason for it.  He won the U.S. Open over Arnold as a rookie and had three majors a year and a half into his pro career.  You don't pick Johnny Pott for the U.S. team and leave the guy who has won three of the last six majors at home unless you have to.

[Jackrabbit Hog]

These next two tournaments will seal the deal.  If Tiger doesn't contend (i.e., a top 5) at Firestone or Valhalla, he can't contend anywhere. 

Corollary question:  If Tiger isn't picked for the team, will the Ryder Cup TV ratings go down like all the majors ratings have this year?  Or has the Ryder Cup achieved the sort of stand-alone status that it will still get great ratings even without him?