NBHorn7
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It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that the American team was blowing a 10-6 lead during the Sunday singles matches at Medinah to lose yet again.
Mickelson was smiling his way to a come from ahead loss and Tiger was sneering his way to the same to complete the meltdown.
So it's 2014 and the scene shifts to Gleneagles in Scotland where the game began. We will hear about "Old" Tom Morris, "Young" Tom Morris, and maybe even the lesser known "Middle Aged" Tom Morris. Of course Old Tom will be shown probably to the point of wanting to kill him again in those golfnow.com commercials. "Great." But back to the golf aspect.
Europe comes in as a solid favorite, despite the USA having a slight edge in average world rankings between the teams.
The Euros have the number 1,3,5, and 6 ranked players in the world in Mcllroy,Garcia, Stenson, and Rose. Solid players and Ryder Cup vets in McDowell, Westwood, and Kaymer. Then their is the Ryder Cup antichrist that is Ian Poulter. The Brit that can be an average tour player for two years and then morph into some maniacal bogeyman or really a birdeyman when it's Ryder Cup time. His 12-3 record all time in matches is the bane of the American team for many years now.
The good ole USA counters with the number 4,7,9,10,11, and 13 players in the world in Furyk, Watson, Kuchar, Fowler, Mickelson, and Spieth. Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan bring Ryder Cup experience each making their third apperance. Rookies Jimmy Walker and Patrick Reed were the hottest golfers around early in the year, but not so much lately. Keegan Bradley and Webb Simpson have had some success in this competition with a combined 5-3 record.
Texas players are in full force with four players from the Lone Star state. Hunter Mahan is the veteran of the group with his third apperance. Then there are the three rookie Texans making their debuts. They are Jimmy Walker who led in Fedex points for most of the year, Patrick Reed, who also won big early this year, and then there is UT's own Jordan Spieth, who at 21 becomes one of the youngest to ever play in this event.
Something or somebody seems to be missing. Well there is Dustin Johnson that would have qualified for this event, but pulled himself off the PGA tour and this event for reasons still not fully explained.
I know what your thinking. It's that Tiger guy and you would be right to a degree. No doubt if healthy he would have been a captain's pick because no matter the circumstances it is written in the "Ten Commandments of Golf." He also said he was not an option, but he did give health reasons as his issue, which have been ongoing.
Actually the person I am not seeing and probably should be is just the hottest golfer on the planet. He also happens to be an American and his name is Billy Horschel.
He won the last two playoff events to win the Fedex Cup and is a solid player. I know he didn't qualify and was not a captain's pick. Maybe it is time for a change in picking the Ryder Cup squad.
Golf even for players on this level is a streaky game. The best players in the world can be hot and cold. Even more so for lesser players.
Jimmy Walker and Patrick Reed were hot early and built up a big lead in points. They haven't played that well since then and Reed has really struggled. Meanwhile Horschel just keeps posting one low round after another.
The American team is composed of the nine top points getters during the tour season and British Open. Then there are three wild card captain's picks.
Problem being that even players that automatically qualify can be not playing well by the end of the season. So maybe their should be more captains picks and less automatic qualifiers.
I know captain Tom Watson and most captains like picking experienced players with Ryder Cup experience too. It's the safe thing to do, but new blood with talent couldn't hurt the American cause I think. The same old thing and players haven't been working.
Horschel is kind of a special case too. This guy is a guy after Poulter's own mold. He plays with great passion and a match up between him and Poulter could have been epic. It would have made for a photographer's dream with all the facial expression's those two would have made. Some fire on the USA team wouldn't hurt and again this guy can play and is at the top of his game.
It is what it is though and if the Americans can pull off a victory on European soil, it will be considered a pretty major upset, not because of a great disparity between the two teams. Mainly because of the momentum of all the recent Eauro victories including that USA meltdown last time.
Good luck USA and captain Watson, hopefully somehow, this team can bring the Cup home and stop the bleeding of recent history.
Mickelson was smiling his way to a come from ahead loss and Tiger was sneering his way to the same to complete the meltdown.
So it's 2014 and the scene shifts to Gleneagles in Scotland where the game began. We will hear about "Old" Tom Morris, "Young" Tom Morris, and maybe even the lesser known "Middle Aged" Tom Morris. Of course Old Tom will be shown probably to the point of wanting to kill him again in those golfnow.com commercials. "Great." But back to the golf aspect.
Europe comes in as a solid favorite, despite the USA having a slight edge in average world rankings between the teams.
The Euros have the number 1,3,5, and 6 ranked players in the world in Mcllroy,Garcia, Stenson, and Rose. Solid players and Ryder Cup vets in McDowell, Westwood, and Kaymer. Then their is the Ryder Cup antichrist that is Ian Poulter. The Brit that can be an average tour player for two years and then morph into some maniacal bogeyman or really a birdeyman when it's Ryder Cup time. His 12-3 record all time in matches is the bane of the American team for many years now.
The good ole USA counters with the number 4,7,9,10,11, and 13 players in the world in Furyk, Watson, Kuchar, Fowler, Mickelson, and Spieth. Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan bring Ryder Cup experience each making their third apperance. Rookies Jimmy Walker and Patrick Reed were the hottest golfers around early in the year, but not so much lately. Keegan Bradley and Webb Simpson have had some success in this competition with a combined 5-3 record.
Texas players are in full force with four players from the Lone Star state. Hunter Mahan is the veteran of the group with his third apperance. Then there are the three rookie Texans making their debuts. They are Jimmy Walker who led in Fedex points for most of the year, Patrick Reed, who also won big early this year, and then there is UT's own Jordan Spieth, who at 21 becomes one of the youngest to ever play in this event.
Something or somebody seems to be missing. Well there is Dustin Johnson that would have qualified for this event, but pulled himself off the PGA tour and this event for reasons still not fully explained.
I know what your thinking. It's that Tiger guy and you would be right to a degree. No doubt if healthy he would have been a captain's pick because no matter the circumstances it is written in the "Ten Commandments of Golf." He also said he was not an option, but he did give health reasons as his issue, which have been ongoing.
Actually the person I am not seeing and probably should be is just the hottest golfer on the planet. He also happens to be an American and his name is Billy Horschel.
He won the last two playoff events to win the Fedex Cup and is a solid player. I know he didn't qualify and was not a captain's pick. Maybe it is time for a change in picking the Ryder Cup squad.
Golf even for players on this level is a streaky game. The best players in the world can be hot and cold. Even more so for lesser players.
Jimmy Walker and Patrick Reed were hot early and built up a big lead in points. They haven't played that well since then and Reed has really struggled. Meanwhile Horschel just keeps posting one low round after another.
The American team is composed of the nine top points getters during the tour season and British Open. Then there are three wild card captain's picks.
Problem being that even players that automatically qualify can be not playing well by the end of the season. So maybe their should be more captains picks and less automatic qualifiers.
I know captain Tom Watson and most captains like picking experienced players with Ryder Cup experience too. It's the safe thing to do, but new blood with talent couldn't hurt the American cause I think. The same old thing and players haven't been working.
Horschel is kind of a special case too. This guy is a guy after Poulter's own mold. He plays with great passion and a match up between him and Poulter could have been epic. It would have made for a photographer's dream with all the facial expression's those two would have made. Some fire on the USA team wouldn't hurt and again this guy can play and is at the top of his game.
It is what it is though and if the Americans can pull off a victory on European soil, it will be considered a pretty major upset, not because of a great disparity between the two teams. Mainly because of the momentum of all the recent Eauro victories including that USA meltdown last time.
Good luck USA and captain Watson, hopefully somehow, this team can bring the Cup home and stop the bleeding of recent history.
