Presidents Cup teams https://www.presidentscup.com/
Let me be clear, as a proud Canadian with my Scottish ancestry I root for Europe in the Ryder Cup and the International Team in the Presidents Cup.
You know the record after 12 President Cups is 10-1-1 in favour of the USA, which in my opinion will be the eventual death knell for this event if Ernie Els squad doesn't start to win. and win regularly.
A daunting task, and I think drastic action will need to happen in the selection process if they take it on the chin again, as most suspect they will, albeit at the site of their lone win, Royal Melbourne.
Just looking at the teams on my link above, the Yanks are ridiculously stacked again, with Tiger Woods adding himself, Gary Woodland, Tony Finau and sparkplug Patrick Reed to an already daunting lineup, with Rickie Fowler in the bullpen should world #2 Brooks Keopka be unfit.
Although they have 5 rookies, they are well established, well known, even friends to their established team mates.
Add to that, this International Team has 6 rookies out of their 12, from Mexico, China, Taiwan, Chile, Korea and Australia playing on various other tours besides the PGA Tour.
To that point, Adam Hadwin had this to say about their divergent backgrounds and the unique problems it poses in one of his many interviews after his inclusion by captain Els.
" I think Ernie has done a better job getting us together at various tournaments this past year so that we are at least familiar with each other. In the past we get together for two weeks where ever this event is, it's a different team every time, and we don't really gel until the end of the week, when it's too late.
We have language barriers, cultural differences, different food from each other, not to mention an unfamiliarity with each others games, and equipment."
None of theses issues are applicable to Tiger Woods and Team USA. Is that fair? Is this an even playing field. Even without all those issues this would still be David vs Goliath, but at least David would have his slingshot.
A similar scenario was happening in the Ryder Cup when the mighty USA team with Arnie, Jack, Lee etal, would crush the valiant GB & NIreland team to the point it was a non event to the American public. It was huge in Britain, they rarely got to see the American stars in person.
Finally Jack Nicklaus approached the relevant authorities in the late 70's with a young Spanish superstar called Seve Ballesteros emerging, and suggested the GB & NIre., team be expanded to include Europe.
The rest is history, the Ryder Cup is now arguably the most exciting 3 days in sport.
I realize the Presidents Cup to many, was a chance to get great players from outside Europe into a match play competition, so that Greg Norman and all the great Aussies, Ernie Els and all the great South Africans etal had a forum. It was also great golf fill for the TV networks that they previously didnt have and incidently it's the reason Tiger has been "encouraged" to pick himself this year.
However 10-1-1 is likely to become 11-1-1 and with it being on TV in the middle of the night in North America the ratings numbers, even with Tiger will be low. The International Team has to start being relevant, indeed start winning.
There is no Seve on the horizon, so how about this.
American players competing in the Ryder Cup, cannot play the next year in the Presidents Cup.
Think about it, and if you are rooting for the USA try and see the big picture.
Bryan Angus
No comments:
Post a Comment