Tom Watson’s determination to win back the Ryder Cup continues to intensify with the USA Captain declaring Europe’s recent domination to be like an indelible tattoo stamped on their rivals.
With just under six months to the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles Watson is again getting a closer look at some of his likely team members in contesting this week’s RBC Heritage Classic at Hilton Head in South Carolina.
Organisers of the $US 5.8m event have grouped Watson with 2012 USA Team captain, Davis Love 111 and exciting 20-year old Jordan Spieth.
Watson and Spieth had last week intended playing a Masters practice round together but rain put paid to that before Spieth finished in a joint share of second place, and in his first appearance at Augusta National.
“You look at seven of the last nine Ryder Cup’s and we’ve had out butt kicked, so the record is not good,” he said.
“Europe have beaten a tattoo on us, and while they ran away a couple of times, for the most part they have been close matches.
“The last match was one of the great Ryder Cup’s and if not, the greatest Ryder Cup ever. I have to say that as an American even though it ate a hole in my stomach for three or four days.
“It really ate a hole and just sapped everything out of me, and I don’t think any competition every affected me that much for that long like the past Ryder Cup did.
“Europe did what they had to do.
“I went back and looked at the Sunday scores for each match and the European Team was 25-under par and our team was eight under par.
“If any match went one hole the other way, any match, and we would have won the Ryder Cup, and you have to give credit where credit is due as we didn’t play well the final day.
“But if you look at our team at the moment it’s shaping up pretty good what with a number of players who have played in the Ryder Cup.
“You’ve got Dustin Johnson on the team, Duffner’s on it, Mickleson’s on it, Webb Simpson’s on it, there’s Bubba too, so you’ve got guys who have played in the Ryder Cup.
“So there’s a bunch of horses who have played on the Ryder Cup, but then the talk at the moment is all about the new guys who may make the team.
“Europe has a good team shaping up with Victor Dubuisson and Jamie Donaldson looking like they will make the side, so this is going to be a great match and a great match.
“And I thought the last Ryder Cup was one of the great matches
Watson had intended to meet up last week in Augusta with rival European Team captain, Paul McGinley but that did not work out.
“I was hoping to catch-up with Paul at Augusta but it never worked out that we could meet up,” said Watson.
“However Paul and I had a good three-hour lunch about this time last year so we are both on the same page in relation to the manner in which the matches in this Ryder Cup will be played.
“It’s not going to get overboard as we are just going to play it, and as Paul has been saying it’s like a heavyweight fight and coming out of our corners and trying to hit each other as hard as we can.”
Watson is a former two-time Hilton Head winner but is contesting the event for a first time since 2001.
He indicated also he will compete on the main PGA Tour in coming weeks and months before the final USA Team qualifying event – the PGA Championship at Valhalla.
