Tiger Woods no shoe-in for Ryder Cup
No matter how many personal issues Tiger Woods went through, and even if he wasn’t at top form after coming back, no one ever doubted that he’d make the Ryder Cup team, but that’s just what’s in doubt right now after Ryder American Cup Captain, Corey Pavin has said that he is not sure that Woods will be a captain’s pick.
The first way of qualifying for the Ryder Cup is through Ryder Cup points attained through playing well in tournaments. There was little question that Woods would do well this year even though he didn’t plan to play many tournaments. The four Major tournaments provided him with his best opportunities for points.
First, there was Augusta, a course where he destroyed the field in his first professional Masters at the age of 21.He’s also won there four times in his career, and with his length and the absence of deep rough, he’s always the favourite to win. This year he tied for fourth.
Next up was the US Open which was being played at Pebble Beach, where he has an amazing track record, including winning in 2005 by a record 15 shots over the rest of the field while also breaking the record for the best score ever at the US Open at -12. He tied for fourth there in 2010.
A few weeks later, the British Open returned to his all-time favourite course, St. Andrews. Woods has won the British Open on that course twice, easily beating the field both times. He tied for 23rd.
He wasn’t too worried because his second-favorite course is the Firestone Country Club, where he has won the Bridgestone tournament seven times out of 11 tries. In fact, he’s never finished worse than fifth there. He did this time though. In fact, he finished second worst with an 18 over par score. After the tournament, he suggested that he shouldn’t be considered for the Ryder Cup at all with how he was playing.
He may get his wish.
On Tuesday, a report from Jim Gray on The Golf Channel claimed that Corey Pavin stated he will pick Tiger Woods as a captain’s pick. Pavin disputed this the next day. He said on his Twitter page, “Jim Gray has misquoted me re: picking Tiger. I never said such a thing and will not say a thing until 09/07.”
That started a war of words between Gray and Pavin that ended with Pavin saying, “(Gray was) just trying to get a story out there. But when you start making stuff up, it makes me mad. And of all the people I know in the media business, he would not be my first choice to tell that to. He wouldn't be my second or third or fourth choice, either. And you can quote me on that."
Meanwhile, Woods is preparing for the final major of the year at Whistling Straits. If he wins, he won’t need a captains’ pick, although you have to wonder what’s going on behind the scenes with Pavin and Tiger.
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