U.S. Ryder Cup team has some holes to fill
THE SPIN / THOMAS BONK
Tiger Woods won't be there; who will be for the Americans is up to Paul Azinger.
When does a no-win situation become a must-win situation? When the U.S. Ryder Cup team shows up at Valhalla Golf Club next month to play hugely favored and two-time defending champion Europe, starting Sept. 19.
Between now and then, here's what U.S. captain Paul Azinger has to do:
* Figure out how to win without Tiger Woods.
* Make four captain's picks, which is double the number from previous years.
* Plot how to pair 12 players together in teams.
* Curse his luck.
Not having Woods can't help much. But let's face it, even with Woods in the lineup the last two Ryder Cup outcomes have been the biggest defeats for the U.S. since the series started in 1927 -- identical blowouts of 18 1/2 -9 1/2 .
Europe has won five of the last six Ryder Cups and the only thing that stands in front of extending that streak is some creative thinking by Azinger.
He already knows his core group of eight who made the team on points -- Phil Mickelson, Stewart Cink, Kenny Perry, Jim Furyk, Anthony Kim, Justin Leonard, Ben Curtis and Boo Weekley.
Azinger will choose four more, and to be honest, there's not an easy choice in the bunch.
But here's the way the thinking may be going.
Steve Stricker and Zach Johnson have both competed on international match play teams, Sticker in two Presidents Cups and Johnson on the last Ryder Cup team.
But Stricker has one top 10 in his last 11 events. Give Johnson, who's good with the putter, one of the spots.
Woody Austin missed the cut at the PGA Championship and he's a poor putter. Bad combination.
He's also got a quirky personality and could be good in the team room. Good combination.
D.J. Trahan won the Bob Hope and tied for fourth at the U.S. Open. He's a solid maybe.
Rocco Mediate and J.B. Holmes didn't break 80 in the final round of the PGA Championship.
Hunter Mahan, Sean O'Hair and Brandt Snedeker are all in the top 15 on the points list, so they can be grouped together. They also are young and without experience.
So, handicapping the race right now, here are four suggestions that Azinger can add to the pile he's received so far:
Take Johnson, Stricker, Austin and either Mahan or O'Hair.
Notah knows
Notah Begay III is hosting a charity event Aug. 25 at Turning Stone Resort in Oneida, N.Y., and has lined up an impressive list of players to help out -- Stewart Cink, Mike Weir, Vijay Singh and Camilo Villegas.
