The Ryder Cup is just weeks away, and Jim Furyk’s American team is now nearly complete. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and back-to-back Playoff winner Bryson DeChambeau completed the somewhat academic proceedings.
Jim Furyk’s first three picks for the 2018 Ryder Cup were almost made for him. They are, as expected, Bryson DeChambeau, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods. He also picked three additional vice-captains: Zach Johnson, David Duval and Matt Kuchar. He made the announcement at a PGA of America press conference in Philadelphia.
Bryson DeChambeau, who had been ninth in points, just won the first two FedEx Cup Playoff events to vault himself into the “you can’t possibly not pick me” position.
Mickelson led the charge in revising the way the Ryder Cup teams are organized. He threw himself on the flames of the 2014 Ryder Cup loss to do it. It paid off in 2016. In addition, he’s played well this season, winning the WGC Mexico event, his first victory in five years.
Woods’ comeback from surgery on his back has been the stuff of legend, Hogan-like in a way. He didn’t just return, he actually contended in two majors. Golf fans in the country would have revolted had he not been picked.
In addition, the Woods-Mickelson duo are easily the top two needle movers when it comes to ticket sales and television ratings.
Furyk thanked DeChambeau for making his job easier than it might have been. DeChambeau was ninth on the Ryder Cup points list after the PGA, and the top eight automatically make the team.
"“To see the way he worked through that, came out, hit the ground running, won his first two Playoff events at both The Northern Trust and Dell, just incredible,” Furyk noted. “Not only won, but won definitively on the back nine. Took control and seized control of those tournaments and took big leads and was able to finish out .”"
DeChambeau was thinking ahead in 2016 and attended the Ryder Cup that year as a spectator.
“I wanted to get a good feel of what the atmosphere was like,” he said about the reason he went. “You know, as I look back, it was a great decision to go there, and get a good experience of what it would be like, the atmosphere around that whole environment. Now I’m going to get to experience it, which is going to be great.”
Mickelson has long been known as a leader in the team room. By being a pick, Mickelson now has the record for Ryder Cup teams with 12.
“I knew how special Phil was when we were kids and playing in college,” Furyk said about Mickelson’s longevity on international teams. “To be able to play at that level, that elite level for as long as he had, to be that consistent for 23, 25 years, is an impressive feat and one that will be very difficult to be equaled.
Furyk played golf at Arizona and Mickelson played at Arizona State.
Mickelson went right to the team goal.
"“It’s obvious that the one thing that has been missing is for our team to go over to Europe and win,” he said. “It’s going to be a great challenge because we know how strong the European side is and how well they play at home, but it’s a wonderful chance, an opportunity for us to do something I haven’t done or been a part of in my career, and would very much like to.”"
The U.S. hasn’t won a Ryder Cup in Europe since 1993, when Tom Watson captained the Yanks to victory at The Belfry.
Mickelson added that there is one thing he has tried to do with the new players on Ryder Cup teams and that is to prepare them.
“The only thing that I will try to do with some guys that haven’t been on the team is just let them know what to expect so that the pressure doesn’t mount.”
Woods was already guaranteed a spot as a vice captain, and the joke this year has been would he pick himself if he could. As it turned out, he didn’t have to because he had convinced everyone he was team-worthy.
“I have to say, we are all excited to see him healthy and playing the way he has, backed up against the wall, to play so well at The Open Championship, to play so well at the PGA,” Furyk said about Woods. “It’s a feather in our cap to have him playing in our side.”
More from Golf News
- Golf Rumors: LIV set to sign Masters Champion in stunning deal
- Brutal return leaves Will Zalatoris looking towards 2024
- Stars You Know at World Champions Cup Starts Thursday at Concession
- 2023 Hero World Challenge Predictions: The Return Of Tiger Woods?
- RSM Classic Brings the controversial 2023 PGA Tour Season to a close
Mickelson was quick to echo Furyk’s sentiments. “To have Tiger back in the game of golf and playing at such a high, elite level, has been exciting for everybody, including the players. We find ourselves watching with interest, just like all the fans do.”
When asked what made him so devoted to Ryder Cup play, Woods cited the late Payne Stewart who bled red, white and blue.
"“It was a great learning experience to see the passion that one of our late, great, team leaders, Payne Stewart, showed for the event,” Woods noted. “He made me understand how important the Ryder Cup is. From that moment on, I always wanted to be a part of each and every team.”"
Payne Stewart died in a plane crash in 1999 just before the Tour Championship. He had been on five Ryder Cup teams, including the 1999 Ryder Cup team at Brookline where Woods also participated.
This time around, Woods did not know whether he would make the team, and so early on, he volunteered to help Furyk any way he could, just as he did in 2016.
"“But also, deep down, I wanted to make the team. I really wanted to play on it,” Woods admitted. “As the year progressed, I’ve kind of gained some traction, and was somehow able to get some high finishes and lo and behold, I’m a part of this team. It’s incredible, it really is, to look back at the start of the year and now to have accomplished a goal like that, to be a part of this team, and now to be a player is just — like I said, it’s beyond special.”"
Furyk has one more team pick, and he makes that on September 10th.