Captain Love will fall back on the Billy Horschell Rule
THE Ryder Cup is just over two weeks away, and it is now decision time for US captain Davis Love III.
Tomorrow he will choose his first three wildcards. But that will still leave one spot open, which will be named after the Tour Championship on September 25.
It’s unprecedented to be picking someone so late, and it actually throws up a few logistical problems. But it shows the desperation to have a “hot” player.
It’s been nicknamed the Billy Horschel Rule because two years ago, he won the last two events in the Fed-Ex Cup play-offs and didn’t play at Gleneagles because the team had already been picked.
So, the Americans don’t want to make that same mistake again.
However, it can work both ways because Brandt Snedeker won the Tour Championship four years ago, the week before the Ryder Cup.
That victory took a lot out of him and he ran out of steam at Medinah and was beaten quite easily in the Singles by Paul Lawrie.
As for this first draft, I’m expecting it to be quite straightforward for Captain Love.
I would be very surprised if the three players picked are not Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler and JB Holmes.
They were ranked nine to 11 on the qualifying list, and Love has strong reasons for picking them.
Watson and Fowler are not in great form at the moment, and they’ll have to play well today to make sure they are even in the Tour Championship.
Despite that, it’s hard to imagine them not being in the US team.
Bubba has twice been the Masters Champion and is a long hitter, which I know is a pre-requisite for Love.
Fowler is a popular guy and he would bring energy to the team room.
We all remember him holing that nerveless 10-foot putt on the last at Celtic Manor in 2010 to keep US hopes alive.
But there are question marks, too. Bubba has lost all three of his Singles matches at the Ryder Cup and he doesn’t have a great record.
Rickie has played quite well in both his appearances but, remarkably, he’s still to win a match.
The bigger concern would be that he’s had two great chances to win on the PGA Tour this year, and has thrown them both away in the last few holes, most recently at The Barclays two weeks ago.
JB Holmes looks more straightforward. He ticks all the boxes, thanks to a good year and an excellent third place at The Open.
He’s another bomber and, best of all, he was unbeaten in three matches in his one and only Ryder Cup appearance at Valhalla in 2008.
Having a guy who knows what it’s like to be part of a winning team would be invaluable.
The player who will be sweating is Matt Kuchar. He will be favourite for the fourth and final spot but he is vulnerable to anyone coming on a charge.
Kuchar showed his credentials with that bronze medal at the Olympics, so someone like Ryan Moore would either have to win at East Lake or go very, very close to change Davis’ mind.
I WAS surprised, but pleased, when I heard that Tiger Woods is returning to competitive golf next month.
I was starting to think that he would not come back at all, so it will be a big deal when he tees up at the Safeway Open in California.
That’s the first of three events Tiger has in his diary before the end of the year, so it looks like an experiment in preparation for next year.
It’s great for the sport that he is planning a return but we want him to come back pain-free – and with a decent game.
I am worried, though, about Tiger shooting a big number. Because of who he is, he can’t slip back in and try to have four quiet rounds.
The pressure will be on him from his opening tee shot, and that will test both his back and his mental strength.