U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love III Announces Picks
The foursome, which includes three with previous Ryder Cup experience, joins eight players who had earned automatic berths following the 94th PGA Championship last month.
United States Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love III selected Jim Furyk, Dustin Johnson, Brandt Snedeker and Steve Stricker today to complete the 12-player roster for the 2012 United States Ryder Cup Team. The foursome, which features three players with Ryder Cup experience, join eight golfers who had earned automatic berths Aug. 12, following the 94th PGA Championship.
Love announced his selections at the NASDAQ MarketSite in Times Square, just blocks from where The PGA of America was founded in 1916. He will guide the U.S. against Europe, Sept. 28-30, in the 39th Ryder Cup at Medinah (Ill.) Country Club.
The 2012 U.S. Team has an overall Ryder Cup record of 41-59-16.
Furyk will be making his eighth straight trip to golf's pre-eminent event, tying him for second all-time in appearances among U.S. Ryder Cup players. He has an 8-15-4 overall Ryder Cup record. Stricker will be making his third consecutive Ryder Cup appearance, with a record of 3-3-1, while Johnson is making his second straight Ryder Cup appearance, and was 1-3-0, while competing in 2010 at the Celtic Manor in Newport, Wales. Snedeker joins Jason Dufner, 2011 PGA Champion Keegan Bradley and reigning U.S. Open Champion Webb Simpson in making their Ryder Cup debuts.
Love, the 27th U.S. Ryder Cup Captain, said that he wanted to blend experience and players "who were the hottest" coming into the Ryder Cup.
"I can't tell you how excited I am that these four guys are going to round out our Ryder Cup Team," said Love. "I think we have a great team, extremely deep this time, deeper than we've ever been. We are looking for pairings, to plug some holes, to add some experience, and add some putters. These guys all fill those roles perfectly."
European Captain José María Olazábal completed his Team on Aug. 27. The European Team features one rookie, Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts, and 11 players who have an overall Ryder Cup record of 61-31-18.
The U.S. Team bids to regain possession of the Ryder Cup, which it last won in 2008. The U.S. players earning automatic bids are led by world No. 3-ranked Tiger Woods, who is joined in order of their finish in the U.S. Ryder Cup point standings by Bubba Watson, Jason Dufner, Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar and Phil Mickelson.
Mickelson will be making his ninth consecutive Ryder Cup appearance, which sets the U.S. Team record for most consecutive appearances, and most all-time appearances.
Begun in 1927, The Ryder Cup is among the last great professional sporting events where winning, and not prize money, is its own reward. The United States owns a 25-11-2 advantage in the biennial competition.
FINAL 2012 U.S. Ryder Cup Point Standings
1. Tiger Woods
2. Bubba Watson
3. Jason Dufner
4. Keegan Bradley
5. Webb Simpson
6. Zach Johnson
7. Matt Kuchar
8. Phil Mickelson
Captain's Selections
10. Steve Stricker
11. Jim Furyk
13. Brandt Snedeker
15. Dustin Johnson
Posted September 4, 2012 || Viewed 2,375 times