Killjoy Corey Pavin cool on Woods-McIlroy match-up
Corey Pavin seemed determined to dash the hopes of golf fans at this morning's press conference at Celtic Manor.
Tension was stoked between Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy at Woods' briefing yesterday, when Woods was reminded that Rory McIlroy had said he was looking forward to playing the 34-year-old, implying Woods was no longer a force to be reckoned with. Woods responded with a tight "Me too," and refused to offer further comment.
However, the story goes that earlier this month, Woods had confronted the Ulsterman at the BMW Championship, telling McIlroy "be careful what you wish for." Apocryphal or not, Woods is not a man to take a slight lightly. Golf fans must be praying that the pair are matched against one another this week for what would be an electrifying encounter.
Pavin doesn't seem especially taken with the idea, however. The US team captain was asked: "The match that everyone wants to see is between Tiger and Rory. Is there any possibility of you agreeing they should go out out to face each other with Europe's captain Colin Montgomerie?"
Pavin poured cool water on that much hoped-for scenario, replying: "No, I don't think think there's any possibility of that, just because I don't think it's in the spirit of what the Ryder Cup is all about, the way the pairings are supposed to happen.
"If it happens it happens, but it would be by chance, or you know if either of us want to guess, if that's what we want to try and accomplish we can try and do that. But I think it's more important for me to try and send my guys off in the order that would give my team the best chance of winning."
"I don't know if [fixing the match-up] is against the rules, but I think it's just against what golf stands for, I just don't think it would be the right thing to do."
Away from the Woods-McIlroy match-up, the wet weather was fuelling much of the briefing. With a downpour of rain so heavy that the European players had to delay their second round of practice earlier this morning, Pavin's team are getting a true taste of what they may have to put up with this weekend, even if the man himself claimed not to be worried.
"It's nice to see the course in different conditions," commented Pavin. "With the Ryder Cup, whatever happens, happens. I can't control Mother Nature. If we're here Monday playing [should poor weather prevent play concluding on Sunday], that's all there is to it.
"I think every player can handle bad weather on team USA. We've all played in it throughout our careers."
The USA groups this morning were as follows: at 8.45, Phil Mickelson, Jeff Overton, Bubba Watson, Dustin Johnson. 9.00 Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker. 9.15 Matt Kuchar, Zach Johnson, Hunter Mahan and Stewart Cink.
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