Too bad Ryder Cup eligibility is based on passports instead of property taxes. There still might be hope for Paul Casey, who has been living in Arizona for most of his adult life.
Article Source: NBC SportsPotential picks not making Pavin's job easier
Seeded on Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:56 PM EDT (NBC Sports)
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I love how Woods is a lock to be on the team, even though he has played far worse then most of the other players thought to be top picks who are by no means assured a spot. This is exactly what Wood's problem is... hes treated special, and thus he believes hes above everyone else and can do whatever Tiger Woods wants to do. Throw in the fact that Woods has a pretty bad record at the Ryder Cup, and even a history of not taking it very serious... and if his name wasn't Tiger Woods he wouldn't even be a thought to make the team this year.
Again, its this special treatment that says to him "Its ok... you played terrible this year, and even though there are guys who might actually deserve to be on this team, we'll give you the spot because you're Tiger Woods". Because lets face it, as much as the Americans are going to be political correct and say "Of course we want him!".... it, like most everything in the world of professional golf, is a staged political move. It would be kinda bad for golf if his own team was saying he doesn't belong there now wouldn't it? Of course none of them think he deserves to be there, and none of them want him there... having him on the team is like tieing an anchor to them and telling them to swing the English channel.
In the end, Woods will be on the team... not because the US players want him there, not because Pavin wants him there, or not because he deserves to be there. Because he doesn't deserve it, and they almost certainly don't want him there... but because the powers that be say that Woods can do what he wants, when he wants. Not to mention that the sponsor for that week have no doubt put an enormous amount of pressure on the tour and perhaps even Pavin to "make the right decision".
Just glad I'm not one of the guys looking for a captains pick... because man I wouldn't take this laying down.
Every player knows what it takes to secure an automatic spot on the Ryder Cup Team. If he fails to perform well enough to get the points he needs, that’s his fault. He is not entitled to a spot no matter how close he came to automatically qualifying.
The captain decides what his criteria are for choosing a pick. The selections are called “captain picks” for a reason, after all. He can choose to be influenced from the outside, and I think many are. Pavin is no exception. Tiger is not the hottest player among the likely candidates, but he is ranked #1 in the world, the best player of his generation, and the biggest draw in golf. The folks putting up the dough, PGA of America and the sponsors, want him on that team, and I’m sure Pavin is fully aware of that.
Tiger’s overall record is actually comparable to most of the other players who have played in the Ryder Cup multiple times. Very few players have exceptional Ryder Cup records. Perhaps his record is considered “bad” for him by some because he’s held to a ridiculously high standard.
I also question your claim that Tiger doesn’t give his all at the Ryder Cup. I’ve heard him say that he doesn’t particular enjoy the dynamics between the teams during the Ryder Cup, but I’ve never seen him just bag it. Once he suits up, he plays his hardest for his team and his captain despite how he feels about the Ryder Cup atmosphere, the PGA of America or anything else.