In contrast to recent Ryder Cup 2014 USA Ryder Cup captain, Tom Watson will reduce the ‘Captain’s’ picks from four to three.
The USA Team moved from two to four ‘Captain’s’ picks in 2008 under the leadership of Paul Azinger who defeated the Nikc Faldo captained side at Valhalla.
Subsequent captains Corey Pavin and Davis Love 111 have also chosen four ‘Captain’s’ picks.
However Watson, in an attempt to break the European dominance of the biannual competition, is reducing his ‘Captain’s’ picks by one to three.
Tom Watson set to reduce the number of his 2014 ‘Captain’s’ picks from four to three.
“The process in the past that Captain Paul Azinger instituted a selection process whereby he picked four ‘Captain’s’ picks for the team and it’s been going on like that for the last couple of Ryder Cups,” said Watson.
“But I decided we should allow the players a little bit more of an opportunity to make the team, so I have decided to reduce the number of ‘Captain’s’ picks from four to three.
“I remember as a player trying to make the team and we actually did have any picks when I was trying to make the team because if you finished 12th you were in and if you finished 13th your were out.
“I was really disappointed in one year and that was 1985 when I finished 13th after making a bogey on the final hole of the PGA Championship, and I know how much I wanted to make the side.
“So the players should have that opportunity to make the team and that’s the reason I have reduced the picks from four to three.”
Watson announced the change to the 2014 USA Ryder Cup qualifying process from his home in Kansas City and says that by providing the players with one more qualifying spot is ‘essential’.
“Three is kind of my local number (smiling) but really it doesn’t have any more to do that giving the players one more spot to make the team and I think that is essential,” he added.
“It is such an important event in golf for our American players that they at least need that one more e opportunity to make the team.”
Europe has won five of the last six Ryder Cups including last year’s Miracle at Medinah when the Jose Maria Olazabal led side came from 6 – 10 down heading to the Singles and win by a point.
However Watson accepts he will be up against regaining the trophy given Europe’s strong knowledged of next year’s Gleneagles host venue.
“I remember watching Medinah last year and I had an empty feeling in my gut for several days after the defeat of the US Team,” he said.
“What I am trying to do is just create is the best possible scenario for the US Team to win the Cup back and by going to three it allows the players to have a bit more ownership in making the team.
“Part of the process of being a captain is trying to get the team to … it’s not very difficult I can asssure you but to take ownership in the process of winning.
“When you get the team together, and I talked to Davis (Love 111) about the process and he talked how tight the team was together last year, and that is no different to past captains, and that means that are together with a single focus to win the Cup.
“And we have a disadvantage going over to Europe because the Europeans play their Ryder Cup’s on venues that stage regular European Tour tournaments, and when you know the golf as many of the European players who will make the Ryder Cup team will know the Centenary Course at Gleneagles, they will know it because that have played in the Johnnie Walker Championship, then that gives them an advantage.
“We have to ramp up our knowledge of the golf course very quickly and we may not be playing under the conditions we will face over Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the Ryder Cup.
“Much like the 2009 British Open when all the practrice rounds were played in a south wind that turned on Friday and we played with a north-west wind and the players hadn’t played that golf course.
“That’s the concern I have for the team and the players have to understand the golf course very quickly while the European Ryder Cup team does undertstand that golf course.”
