The upcoming Ryder Cup is in danger of being more notable for those American golfers who won’t compete than the ones who will.
Billy Horschel’s stunning run of form, which secured more than $13m in three weeks and three trophies including the FedEx Cup within just a fortnight, will prompt the inevitable raft of questions towards the USA captain Tom Watson, which he is likely to addresses when facing the media in his home country on Wednesday. Horschel, after all, was overlooked for a captain’s pick.
For his part, Horschel is perfectly relaxed about missing a trip to Gleneagles. The small matter of the impending birth of his first child – due on Ryder Cup day two – is prevalent in that way of thinking. “I’ll be supportive of the US team, and even with the extra win, I still don’t feel like I deserve to be on the team,” the 27-year-old insisted. “I haven’t played good enough this year. I haven’t played good enough over a two‑year period to be on the team, and I understand that. I’m not upset with that. I’m over it.
“I honestly wasn’t going to play the Ryder Cup if we couldn’t induce labour early. I wanted to be there for my wife and be there for our baby girl. But you know, when I started playing bad this year, you know, I sort of put it out of my mind that I wasn’t going to be picked. And obviously I wasn’t picked, and it’s going to work out perfectly.”
It is curious that the Tour Championship, the FedEx finale, falls after wildcard selections have been drawn, but nothing can really be done about that for now. Moves already seem afoot to move the event back to its previous calendar placement of immediately before the Ryder Cup. Horschel aside, Chris Kirk also finished the FedEx strongly; he too, had earlier been overlooked by Watson.
This marks an unfortunate circumstance for Watson, whatever way you look at it. Two of his three picks, Webb Simpson and Hunter Mahan, toiled badly at last weekend’s Tour Championship. Bubba Watson even went public on his previous necessity to calm Simpson down in a previous team event.
Horschel, meanwhile, was the epitome of calm when seeing off Rory McIlroy et al to prevail at East Lake. He is a gritty competitor, apparently unbowed by the pressure of high-profile situations. Precisely, in short, the kind of player any Ryder Cup team should utilise.
The USA’s troubles are compounded by the continued absence of Dustin Johnson. His controversial departure from the frontline of professional golf has masked one thing: Johnson is a seriously useful Ryder Cup player and would be especially so on the lush fairways of Gleneagles, where distance will be a virtue. He is a key US absentee, of that there can be no doubt.
And then there is Tiger Woods. For all injury and loss of form have hindered the 14-times major winner’s powers, every event has a different vibe when there is a Tiger factor. The Ryder Cup will pass along just fine without him but everyone – spectators, sponsors, television viewers – would have benefited from his presence.
Speaking this week, Woods seemed genuinely regretful about missing out on another Ryder Cup. This has been a recurring Woods theme; an apparently strong desire to play at Gleneagles and upset that fitness issues means he won’t. Either he is a very good actor – insert punchline here – or Woods’s attitude towards the old contest against Europe has softened with age.
“I’m going to miss it a lot,” Woods said. “I missed it a lot in ’08 when I wasn’t a part of the team. I’ve been a part of so many teams over the years that you start to understand what these teams mean, what kind of bonds guys develop because of that one week. You have bonds just because of that one week that you’re bonded for life. It’s just amazing what happens during that one week.
“We beat each other’s brains in 51 weeks of the year, and then we all of a sudden come together and make friendships for a lifetime. It’s pretty cool.”
There is a large photo in the Sawgrass clubhouse which shows Woods, Jason Dufner and Phil Mickelson – each resplendent in USA ties – in amiable conversation. Woods is even lying on the stairs at the time. That image endorses his sentiment.
For Watson, the focus has to be on discussion surrounding those who aren’t in his 12-man party for Scotland. It may not be particularly easy.