The 2016 Ryder Cup

[TightEnd]

Selection is close

the automatic qualifiers for Europe are

McIlroy
Willett
Stenson
Garcia
Rose
RafaCB
Wood
Sullivan
Fitzpatrick

thats 5 rookies

favourites for wildcards are

Kaymer
Westwood
Knox
McDowell

3 spots

your wild cards are?

at this stage, facing speith, dustin and the rest, are we underdogs?

[BigAdz]

We have enough experience there to surely not need Westwood?

Would rather take Beef.

Knox is my favourite player, so he is in and so is Kaymer.

We should be underdogs but can see the U.S. getting so pumped they implode.

[buzzharvey22]

We have enough experience there to surely not need Westwood?

Would rather take Beef.

Knox is my favourite player, so he is in and so is Kaymer.

We should be underdogs but can see the U.S. getting so pumped they implode.

I'd argue we don't have anywhere near enough experience as 5 out of the 9 are rookies.

Westwood, Kaymer and Knox for me.

[Karabiner]

We have enough experience there to surely not need Westwood?

Would rather take Beef.

Knox is my favourite player, so he is in and so is Kaymer.

We should be underdogs but can see the U.S. getting so pumped they implode.

I'd argue we don't have anywhere near enough experience as 5 out of the 9 are rookies.

Westwood, Kaymer and Knox for me.

For some reason GMac is 1/6 to make the team with Knox 4/1.

Kaymer and Westie are 1/50+

[Karabiner]

GMac now 4/11 with Knox 9/4, Donald and Lowry 6/1..

[BulldozerD]

Westwood nailed on I am told

[rinswun]

Knox, Westwood and Kaymer ainec.

Loads of stats being bandied around about Rookies but golf has evolved. The young players aren't daunted and for the most part are better than their more experienced counterparts. Pick on form.

[BigAdz]

Still think no Westy.

Same agent as Clarke?

As said, golf is a different game with these rookies mixing it weekly on both tours. They know the environment and their opponents.

Take people playing well.

[rinswun]

Irony is that Westwood has been in the better form of most of the options. Yes Donald and G-Mac had high finishes this week but have generally been useless for months. Lowry won't get a pick as forms not been up to it, Hatton probably would have got in with a win but likely to be a miss as not got the track record of solid performance over the last couple of years. Molinari? Another off form.

No way Westwood doesn't get picked.

[TightEnd]

Westwood is an ideal partner for Willett right? close mates, good foursomes pairing. ditto fitzpatrick who is straight as a die

garcia and cabrera bello in fourballs?

rose/stenson always been a powerhouse, rose/kaymer an option?

who might partner mcilroy?

[BigAdz]

Would rather take Lowry to partner Mcilroy than find Westwood a space.

Lowry has a head for the big time, and nearly won a US Open earlier this year. Granted he is not ripping it up at this moment, but he is the future, Westwood, the past.

With Stenson, Rose, Mcilroy, Kaymer, Garcia, you have enough hand holders.

Willett wont need his hand held, nor Knox or Lowry.

Leaves Rafa, under the wing of Sergio, the natural Spanish charismatic option. Willet has played loads with Matty Fitz in Europe past few years. Sullivan seems to be everyone friend, and I would stick him with Wood, and you are pretty much there, when you link the other previous combos.

Rose and Stenson
Kaymer Knox
Rafa Serge
Mcilroy Lowry
Sullivan Wood
Willet Fitz.

Job done.

[bobby1]

Of the 3 picks I would much rather see Westy, Kaymer and Knox than GMac. Knox got nothing to be afraid of going up against the top US players after winning a WGC event late last year from a very good field and also won again in the US a few weeks ago (BidAdz knew early on he was going to be good). He plays with these guys most events so nothing new to him.

Pairings wise it feels like a few just fall together.

Westwood and Willett Get on really well and Westy's cadddie Billy Foster is also good mates with Willett.

Garcia and Raf Cab Games match up well and obv got the national bond keeping them close ( I'd have my eyes shut on every 6 footer they leave tho)

Kaymer and Sullivan, Not sure these match up personality wise but both of these play with a fade shape on their shots and think it's good to play with someone that see's the shots the same way you do. (Tho Willett hits a fade too so he would match up with these two as well)

Stenson and Rose, great pairing.

Wood and Fitzy, Young Brits together so should gel well and I guess if they fail you have got 2 of the lesser players beaten for the loss of just one point.

Rory and Knox Look perfect for each other imo


One of the problems if we pick Gmac is you are limiting the players you could pair with Rory. Gmac and him have fallen out over the court case and Rory and Westy fell out about Rory moving agents which is what got him in court against GMac as he has a share in the firm and Rory sued for overcharging. Could also be issues in the team room if 3 of your senior players have issues with at least one of the others.

[rinswun]

Clarke won't pair rookies together we here possible. Is on record stating as much.

Rory
Wood

Garcia
Rafa

Stenson
Sullivan

Rose
Fitz

Willet
Westwood

Kaymer
Knox

The biggest concern is the lack of solid putters in the team. If someone offered me an o/u on the numbers that'd hole a 10ft for a point I'd probably take the under 3.5 (Knox, Wood, Willet).

[doubleup]

I think there is a chance that Clarke has given Knox an unofficial nod.  He didn't play in the last two PGA tournaments which were both short hitters courses and ideal for Knox and instead took a break before the play-offs.  A high finish in either of those events would have got him in on World points (I don't think he has been credited with the points from his WGC win as he wasn't a tour member at that time).

[tikay]

Some great stuff here, & the Ryder Cup, whilst not my cup of tea at all (the over-hyping & schmatltzy stuff does my head in)  is quite the occasion.

If any of you guys think there are some good bets to be had, would appreciate you popping them onto Fred.

TIA

PS - Can I take it we will be subjected to 4 days of inane babbling from Sarah Frump on Sky Sports?