Sport360° view: Woods has to raise his game to make Ryder Cup

Joy Chakravarty 12:03 21/07/2014
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  • All smiled: Rory McIlroy (l) greets Tiger Woods after Europe claimed the Ryder Cup in 2013.

    Five-time champion Tom Watson, playing what is most probably the penultimate Open Championship of his legendary career, shot a superb four-under par, and should have answered more questions about his own game and his unique love affair with links golf after the round.

    But that wasn’t the case yesterday.

    On most days, 64-year-old Watson is an endearing story, but because he is the Ryder Cup captain, and because the biennial battle between his US side and Europe is just two months from now, there were more pressing issues on which his opinion was needed.

    And the biggest concern right now, not just for Watson but for the wider golfing community, is whether Phil Mickelson, and more importantly, Tiger Woods, will make it to the US team.

    Woods, who has played in every Ryder Cup since turning pro, barring 2008 when he had knee surgery, is 72nd in the current points list, with only the top-nine players making it to the team.

    Having played only four events on the PGA Tour because of his recent back operation, he is also way below the top-125 in the FedEx Cup standings.

    That would make it difficult for him to qualify for the Playoffs, and thus make a push to get into the Ryder Cup team.

    In the case of Mickelson, he may not have the best Ryder Cup record, but he has played 38 matches for the US, the most in their history of the tournament.

    He is currently 12th in the points list, but is going through the worst form of his life.

    In 2014, he has just made one top-10, and that was his first tournament of the year in Abu Dhabi. He has also missed the cut at the Masters and the Players.

    But it is the inspirational presence of the 14-time major champion Woods, arguably the greatest golfer to ever play the sport, which is of greater significance for the US team, and the commercial well-being of the tournament.

    As has been proven time and again, his involvement adds a buzz that no other player can generate.

    Even in a team event like the Ryder Cup, Woods can guarantee a few million extra eyeballs glued to the television, such is his charisma.

    Having said that, Watson would not like Woods to be the excess baggage in the team.

    That would not be good for Woods’ own image, and an out-of-sorts Tiger will be terrible for the morale of Team USA, which is determined to turn around their Ryder Cup fortunes by beating Europe on their home soil for the first time since their win at The Belfry in 1993.

    It’s a tough decision that Watson faces, but based on Woods’ current form, I don’t think he deserves a place in the team.

    The captain is right in wanting to watch him play a few more tournaments, but if Woods does not qualify for the Playoffs, will he turn up for events in Europe or other parts of the world to show his commitment to the team?

    That seems unlikely.

    Yesterday, after another average round in The Open, Woods said he hoped he would be considered as a wild card pick.

    Fair enough, but he needs to prove his form and cannot take his place in the team for granted.

    If he can’t raise his game in the coming weeks there should be no place for a toothless Tiger.

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