Tiger Joins Team USA

What I had expected all along is now reality and never in a million years did I have any doubt about Tiger's spot in the USA Ryder Cup team, and here's why:

First of all; Corey Pavin is one hell of an intelligent guy who fully understands the psychological impact a man like Tiger can have on the opposing team. Leaving him out would have meant a severe weakening of a team that (supposedly) is the weaker of the two. Moreover, leaving the world's #1 player out of a team event (that sometimes can be bigger than golf itself) is like celebrating Christmas without Santa or getting married but leaving your bride at home.

Secondly; Europe's wonder boy's (Rory McIlroy) remark that the European team would love to have a piece of Tiger during the upcoming event is the exact kind of ammunition that fires up a team (and event) that, over the past decade, have become more of a personal ego trip for many of the USA players. Call it frustration, if you will, for not having dominated the event they way they did for more than two decades and in the days when the Euros were usually beaten by a difference of at least 9 points.

For sure, and although Tiger didn't qualify automatically for the first time since he turned pro in 1997, picking Tiger as a "captain’s pick" was an absolute no-brainer. Picking Stewart Cink and Zack Johnson, who both are awesome players in their own right, was right on the mark too. Cink is one of the most the experienced Ryder-cuppers in the team and is a laid-back ("older") player that can keep the young guns motivated and on their toes. Zack Johnson, by far, is one of the best iron players in the entire universe and can be teamed up with nearly every player of team USA. These two picks are absolute no-brainers.

Not so, however, is that the case with the selection of a certain Rickie Fowler, who, not only has the worst hair due in all of global golf, but certainly wears the worst model golf cap and matches the worst stylist in the entire universe with the worst "playing record" in world golf.

Where the hell were Anthony Kim and J.B. Holmes in all of this? Weren't they awesome in their first Ryder Cup appearance and didn't they have impressive and intimidating personalities, something that surely helps in "overpowering" the opposing team?

Fowler hasn't won any of the majors and not even one significant PGA event. On top of that, personally I think that he has the personality of a camel that doesn't feel at home in a Russian tundra, generally known as a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. This captain's pick surely must go down in history as "the biggest head-scratcher" in all of Ryder Cup history.

But then again, let's give Pavin (and Fowler too) the benefit of the doubt. Pavin is a hell of an intelligent guy and he surely must have seen something in Fowler that we, mere mortals, all have missed. It's hoped for Pavin, but surely for Fowler too, that "alles sal reg kom", something the South Africans say when they try to talk straight something that is truly bent.

For all that love the game of golf, here's to an exciting Ryder Cup event and may the most intelligent captain win!