FanHouse Ryder Cup

Oh, Rory. Just when you were starting to make people in the golf world gush over your curls and incredibly powerful golf swing, you go and do this. You have the PGA Tour and European Tour giving you whatever you want to play in their events, and you sit around dogging the Ryder Cup, calling it an exhibition. You can't do that because it bothers people. And by people, I mean golfers, and by golfers, I mean Colin Montgomerie.

I have no idea if the Detroit Free Press's Drew Sharp actually believes what he writes, or if he was put up to this by his editor, but either way, in today's column he suggests that the U.S. Ryder Cup team will be mentally stronger without Tiger Woods.

The idea of addition through subtraction of the world's best player sounds crazy, but the Americans become less aristocratic without Tiger's special care and feeding. Whom to pair with him? How to keep him motivated?

Sharp points to comments by Kenny Perry, the guy so mentally tough that he opted out of the U.S. and British Opens to pad his Ryder Cup points total at such grueling events like the John Deere Classic, who opined earlier this season that the U.S. team "may become a tougher team" without Eldrick.

That's certainly a possibility; I mean, it's not like Woods has an exemplary Ryder Cup record -- he's 7-11-2 in five events -- but I"m not sure how losing the world's best player equates to a mentally tougher team.

If Sharp means the Americans will be better prepared for Sergio Garcia to stick it to them, then, fine, I'll concede as much. If, instead, a Tiger-less U.S. team will somehow come together and be more focused ... well, I suppose it could happen. John Daly could also win the PGA Championship this weekend.

Let's just say I'm skeptical in both instances.

This sounds like the exact right tone to strike, but it's hard to make the case that the American's are underdogs in the upcoming Ryder Cup. Well, at least on paper. History suggests that they have virtually no chance, particularly if Sergio Garcia is his usual, awesome-once-every-two-years self.

Whatever, U.S. captain Paul Azinger is setting the bar low, and it's probably a good idea:

Azinger ... declared Wednesday that his team will be the decided underdog against Europe in next month's matches, despite America's perceived "home course" advantage at Valhalla in Louisville. ...That U.S. team had Tiger Woods [four years ago], this year's won't, and Azinger said he can't think of one reason why losing the world's best player would make his squad better.

Fair enough, but Azinger's obviously not willing to just give the cup to the Europeans. When asked by a reporter from the United Kingdom whether anything less than a victory would be deemed a success, he responded:

"What do you think?" ... The answer seemed obvious, but the journalist pressed on, wanting Azinger to supply the succinct reply. "What do you think?" Azinger said again, smiling. The writer excused himself, saying it isn't he who is being paid to be a Ryder Cup captain. "I'm not being paid either," chirped Azinger.

Thus proving Hunter Mahan's point that the entire Ryder Cup experience is just like slavery, but in fancier clothes.

Oh, and for the record, I hardly think the American's are underdogs. And while I'd like to believe Seve, I have a sneaking suspicion the Europeans will pull out their fourth straight title.

Tiger Woods gave a wide-ranging conference call Monday, and in addition to mentioning something about a sore knee, the world's best one-legged player also touched on the upcoming Ryder Cup and his role in the spectacle:

Q: If Zinger asked you to come in and just be around the team that week, and even perhaps as an assistant captain, would you consider it?

A: Well, I'm not part of the team unfortunately. I didn't because of my procedure, I'm not on the team. It's about those 12 guys, it's not about me. I'm not part of that crew.

Well, technically, you are part of the team since you're currently the leader in Ryder Cup points. But, yeah, I can't really blame you for not wanting to be part of a squad that hasn't won the event in nine years.

The Golf Blog thinks that Woods implying that he won't show up at Valhalla, site of the impending U.S. beatdown, means he doesn't care about the Ryder Cup. Maybe. Local Knowledge offers another explanation:

Seve Ballesteros retired from tournament golf last July, and Spain's best golfer is known as much for his "competitive spirit" as for his five major championships and tenacious Ryder Cup performances.

Something of a controversial figure on the course -- he and Paul Azinger spent much of the '89 Cup accusing each other of cheating -- but some 20 years later Ballesteros has softened. Kind of:

"They need to win badly," said the five-time Major winner. "I hope the Americans win this year in all seriousness.

"I see the Ryder Cup getting very boring because we are beating them so badly. Everybody is losing interest. I think it will be good if they win the next one. It would give the Ryder Cup a lift.

"I just hope the matches are a little bit closer because they have been no-contests. My heart is always with the Europeans but my head is with the Americans for the good of the trophy."

Nice. This is what happens when Europe (which, apparently, is not a country) wins three events in a row, all in convincing fashion, and four of the last six. For as much as I'd love to have a snappy comeback for Ballesteros, he's right; the Ryder Cup is slightly more competitive than one of those silly season skins game televised in prime time. That's what happens when the tournament is pretty much decided by Friday night.

Yesterday, Paul Azinger, 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup captain, called Nick Faldo, his European counterpart, the American variant of wanker. I've always said golf needs more of that. Now, though, Azinger is downplaying the comments because, presumably, he's quoted as calling Faldo the American variant of wanker.

According to the AP, "Azinger did not say he was misquoted, but that the spirit of his comments was taken out of context." Because when you refer to someone in such a way, context is everything.

"I spoke to Nick," Azinger told the AP. "It doesn't surprise me that this sort of thing has happened. Nick and I have dealt with the media our entire career, and we have burned by the media at times. But Nick and I are friends, and we'll be friends long after the Ryder Cup matches are over. "I can see where the tabloids would try to turn it into a 'Nick vs. Paul' Ryder Cup."

The remarks seemed out of character for Azinger; not so much because he shies away from controversy, but because he and Faldo worked so well together covering the PGA Tour for ABC a few years ago. Apparently, as the Mail on Sunday tells it, anyway, Azinger is still miffed over a perceived Faldo slight dating back to the 1993 Ryder Cup.

If nothing else, the guy can hold a grudge. Not sure how that will help the Americans finally win a Ryder Cup, but it's already more than Hal Sutton brought to the table in 2006 2004.

During his prime, Nick Faldo was known as much for his prickly demeanor as for his his six major championship victories. He's seemingly mellowed in his old age and blossomed as a golf analyst. And in addition to his television duties, Faldo will also serve as the European Ryder Cup captain this fall.

It's this last job that has some people worked up, particularly Faldo's American counterpart, Paul Azinger:

"Nick Faldo has tried to redefine himself," Azinger told the Mail on Sunday. "Some people have bought it. Some have not.

"But if you're going to be a prick and everyone hates you, why do you think that just because you're trying to be cute and funny on air now that the same people are all going to start to like you?"

"The bottom line is that the players from his generation and mine really don't want to have anything to do with him."

At least Azinger didn't call him Sir Wanklicus. Interestingly, the two worked together as analysts a few years ago when ABC still televised golf. And not only did they share a booth, they were very good. But despite the on-air comraderie, Azinger is still peeved about Faldo's questionable sportsmanship during the 1993 Ryder Cup:

"He talked me into giving him a five-footer on the 16th," Azinger said. "He said: 'It's over. You guys have won.' So I waived the putt, Then Davis Love [III] ran over and told me the match was still tied. I can't tell you how irritating that was."

Just so we're clear: everybody loathes Faldo. On the upside, I still think he's great on The Golf Channel telecasts, especially relative to his Tiger Woods-hating boothmate.