Ryder Ready

The 2008 Ryder Cup starts on the 16^th of September and there is a host of, notably, absences from the list.

European Captain Nick Faldo has his work certainly cut out.

Luke Donald, Padraig Harrington, Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell, Paul Casey, Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley, Colin Montgomerie, and David Howell are all in the wilderness, all proclaimed in having very poor seasons.

Ross Fisher unquestionably gave his credentials a wealth of good as his dominating victory in the European Open.

In the current standings, unknowns have significant in the Ryder Cup tradition this year as Soren Hansen, Martin Kaymer and the impressive Justin Rose all in the top ten, more, and likely will take part.

Fortunately, we have the trusted remerging Lee Westwood, fans favourite Sergio Garcia (it is undoubtedly Spain’s year), Robert Karlsson, and Miguel Angel Jimenez.

If I were Nick Faldo, I would tell some players that he wants them in his team. They only have a couple months to score points and get themselves up the world points table.

In my team, I would want:

Lee Westwood

Sergio Garcia

Robert Karlsson

Miguel Angel Jimenez

Justin Rose

Luke Donald

Padraig Harrington

Ross Fisher

Martin Kaymer

Paul Casey

Captain picks, Colin Montgomerie and Darren Clarke for the sheer reason that they are team players. They are both with full of experience and have played at the highest level. You would love to go to war with these two. They need to find a bit of form though.

David Howell has had too many bad breaks this year and has not found any sort of form and do not really deserve or warrant a place in the team.

Ian Poulter, I believe, would be bad for morale as he is out there for himself. He would demand centre stage and would be more controversial. Nick Faldo is known for his high profile clashes with other golfers like America’s captain Paul Azinger. Poulter would inevitably clash with Faldo.

Paul McGinley, like Howell, has not reached the dizzy heights he had once achieved. His performance last time was one full of sportsmanship, as he told his opposition to pick up with a long put remaining to square his singles. That prevented a record defeat for the Americans.

I just hope this Ryder Cup will be played in the same spirit.

As for Team USA, Paul Azinger has to do without the best golfer ever to have lived as Tiger Woods knee will not hold up as he has ruled himself out for the rest of the season. It will be up the rest of the field to make sure his presence is not missed. Woods does not have the best Ryder cup record but, still, you would still want him in your team.

Stewart Cink is top of the USA rankings and without question, be joined by Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Kenny Perry and Anthony Kim.

It is the rest of the field, which looks quite ordinary. The new established four captain picks have been introduced to combat those players who win insignificant tournaments but claim big prizes for them.

Whom will Azinger pick?

Some new emerging players have been encouraging whether they will be ready is another question.

My team would be for USA will be:

Phil Mickelson

Jim Furyk

Stewart Cink

Kenny Perry

Anthony Kim

Justin Leonard

Boo Weekley

Steve Sticker

And four captains picks:

Scott Verplank

Ben Curtis

Zach Johnson

Chris DiMarco (remember him)

I cannot see nothing but misery for USA as Europe will sail this one once again in Kentucky. Without Woods, USA may have to rely more on each other but European collectiveness and Faldo’s will to win will see them though.