Ryder Cup Captains

It seems "official" now. I have just spoken to a friend of mine who is close to key people and it looks like: Woosie for 2006 and Nick for 2008.

Not bad choices I'd say. Lots of experience, drive and pride ...

Yep ... it is official! Woosie for 2006 (Ireland) and Nick for 2008 (America).

Nice having friends who are connected.

Yes! all sounds gd both have a passion for the game, and woosie has anouced he will be having an irish vice captian! who will it be

Best of luck to the Euros in the next Ryder Cup. As an American, I hope we win the matches. As an honest golfer, the captains selected make the Euros look formidable, yet again. I love Woosy as a captain. He will no doubt have the Euros relaxed, motivated and ready to play. The only down side is the Euros might be a little tired with the late night activities that will certainly happen with Woosy as captain.



I have to say the reason that the Euros have been so effective in the past 20 years or so is that they understand the concept of team. The Euros play as a team, not a group of individuals. While the American players may be higher ranked in the Sony ranking and have won more majors than the Euros combined, the Euros cannot be taken lightly as they play as a team of one. This makes this group of players very effective and the results for the past 20 years prove this. The concept of team enables each European player to raise their game and pride has much to do with the winning ways enjoyed by the Euros. The shame is that the American players do not appreciate the camaraderie that the Euros do.



With the pampered ways of the US PGA tour and the tournament format here in the States, American players rarely get the chance to appreciate playing for a team. Our tournament format emphasizes individual play more than team play and/or match play. I suppose the individual player mindset emphasized here is the reason Americans perform very well in singles matches. Of course our record in singles play is the reason that Ryder Cup matches in the past 20 years are not a European rout. The problem with the results of Ryder Cup Sunday is that the matches are all but over on Saturday night. The Euro dominate Friday and Saturday 4 Ball and Foursomes play and this is where, IMO, the matches will be won. That being the case, future Ryder Cups should have the Euros as the favorite each year. In the next matches coming up I would favor the Euros and make the Americans the underdog.

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Joe drinking Hacker

Europe have dominated the Ryder Cup for the last decade because they have no huge egos. American teams are always too busy measuring each others todgers to play effectively as a team. The American selection process should be totally down to commitee, if it was I think they would win every year. For the last match for example they could have had the following team

Woods
Mickelson
Toms
Love III
Di Marco
Couples
Daly
Leonard
Howell III
Calcavecchia
Furyk
Hamilton.

Frankly, that would have worried me more than the team that they sent out. A mixture of experience and passion. The last team was carrying at least 4 passengers in detroit, Funk, Perry, Furyk and Haas were all off form by the time the match rolled round.

In fact, heres what a euro team could have looked like

Monty
Harrington
Garcia
Clarke
Westwood
Donald
Faldo
Poulter
Casey
Rose
Jimenez
Bjorn

That would have been a great team as well.

As for Woosnam, I am not hugely pleased, he is a great motivator, but I think he should probably be kept as a Lieutenant rather than as a Captain. Faldo and Woosnam as co-captains for the next two would be great, Faldo does the tactical thing, Woosnam deals with the man to man stuff. I am disappointed that Lyle didnt get a shout, I hope that Woosnam appoints his as a right hand man for the next match. Lyle is quiet but determined and would be a calming influence on any team. But thats just my hero adulation kicking in...

D.

I could not agree more. I believe your statement is spot on (unfortunately). I envy the attitude of the Euros and their selfless attitude for one another and for continent.