Channel Island Forums UK - View Single Post - Ryder Cup 2008

Haggis · 29-05-2008, 08:42 AM

Azinger outlines Cup plans
United States skipper keen to avoid personality clashes

United States Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger plans to ask his players if there is anyone they would rather not play with during September's showdown against Europe.

Azinger intends to avoid any personality clashes within his pairings on the opening two days, admitting he once did not want to play with a certain - unnamed - team-mate during his own Ryder Cup playing days.

"My first question is, is there anyone on the team you just don't want to play with?" Azinger said on the eve of the Memorial tournament at Muirfield Village.

"There was one Ryder Cup team I played on where there was one guy I just didn't really want to play with. I think that's just human nature. You might have had a run-in with that guy."

Azinger also made several other revelations during a lengthy press conference, including:

- He will use a captain's pick to select anyone who wins on the PGA Tour in the month before the team is finalised.

- He plans, on the advice of Jack Nicklaus, to take a somewhat hands-off approach to his players.

- He hopes to have the course set up to favour the American team.

- He wants Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson to assume leadership roles.

Selection criteria

The United States have lost five of the last six Ryder Cups and Azinger has persuaded the PGA of America to make two significant changes to how the team is selected.

He will have four captain's picks - double the previous number - and will not have to name them until early September, three weeks later than usual, and only two weeks before the event takes place.

"Anyone who wins a tournament (after the USPGA) is probably going to get on," he added.

"Anybody who wins after the (US) PGA is probably going to be pretty confident three weeks later.

"The great intangible, the thing you look for out here as a player and hope to attain, is confidence. Everybody can play but the guys that are the most confident play the best.

"If a guy wins three weeks in a row on the (secondary) Nationwide Tour, and I'm picking the next week, I would be an idiot not to pick that guy. He's just won three weeks in a row on a really hard tour. How could I not pick that guy?"

Azinger has promised not to micro-manage his players after taking advice from Nicklaus.

"I'm dealing with the 12 best professional (American) golfers in the world," he continued.

"If I go in there thinking I've got to hold hands, what chance do we have? I'm not holding any hands. They're all big boys."

I think it's a mistake to ask players who they want to play alongside....if your picked to play, you play with who your told!!

Can't see the European team adopting this approach.

29-05-2008, 08:42 AM	#2 (permalink)
Haggis Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sunny Jersey, originally a "Sweaty Sock" Posts: 673 vCash: 45000	Azinger outlines Cup plans United States skipper keen to avoid personality clashes United States Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger plans to ask his players if there is anyone they would rather not play with during September's showdown against Europe. Azinger intends to avoid any personality clashes within his pairings on the opening two days, admitting he once did not want to play with a certain - unnamed - team-mate during his own Ryder Cup playing days. "My first question is, is there anyone on the team you just don't want to play with?" Azinger said on the eve of the Memorial tournament at Muirfield Village. "There was one Ryder Cup team I played on where there was one guy I just didn't really want to play with. I think that's just human nature. You might have had a run-in with that guy." Azinger also made several other revelations during a lengthy press conference, including: - He will use a captain's pick to select anyone who wins on the PGA Tour in the month before the team is finalised. - He plans, on the advice of Jack Nicklaus, to take a somewhat hands-off approach to his players. - He hopes to have the course set up to favour the American team. - He wants Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson to assume leadership roles. Selection criteria The United States have lost five of the last six Ryder Cups and Azinger has persuaded the PGA of America to make two significant changes to how the team is selected. He will have four captain's picks - double the previous number - and will not have to name them until early September, three weeks later than usual, and only two weeks before the event takes place. "Anyone who wins a tournament (after the USPGA) is probably going to get on," he added. "Anybody who wins after the (US) PGA is probably going to be pretty confident three weeks later. "The great intangible, the thing you look for out here as a player and hope to attain, is confidence. Everybody can play but the guys that are the most confident play the best. "If a guy wins three weeks in a row on the (secondary) Nationwide Tour, and I'm picking the next week, I would be an idiot not to pick that guy. He's just won three weeks in a row on a really hard tour. How could I not pick that guy?" Azinger has promised not to micro-manage his players after taking advice from Nicklaus. "I'm dealing with the 12 best professional (American) golfers in the world," he continued. "If I go in there thinking I've got to hold hands, what chance do we have? I'm not holding any hands. They're all big boys." I think it's a mistake to ask players who they want to play alongside....if your picked to play, you play with who your told!! Can't see the European team adopting this approach. __________________ You aint seen me, Roight...!