Azinger not relishing wild card selection dilemma

PAUL AZINGER isn’t looking forward to naming his four American wild cards this afternoon (3pm, Irish time).

The American captain demanded four picks and to many on both sides of the Atlantic, it sounded like a good call. Nick Faldo admitted on Sunday he would have liked that kind option when he settled down to make his selection.

But Azinger is seeing it somewhat differently, moaning that: “it’s not like I have a bunch of veterans with monster records in the Ryder Cup.”

So far his automatic top eight are Phil Mickelson, Stewart Cink, Kenny Perry, Jim Furyk, Anthony Kim, Justin Leonard, Ben Curtis and Boo Weekley. Not a whole lot there to worry the European contingent, all the more so because of the enforced absence of Tiger Woods.

Many claim that the world number one doesn’t have a great Ryder Cup record but that’s only true in the context of Tiger’s enormous stature in the game. Most players would be more than happy with what he has achieved and he will be sorely missed by Azinger.

The captain still has to go out and find four more to complete his 12. I suspect Steve Stricker and Woody Austin in 9th and 10th places are pretty sure of getting the call but after that, it is anybody’s guess.

Azinger already has five rookies in his top 10. Those next closest on the points table are DJ Trahan, Hunter Mahan and Sean O’Hair but they are also severely lacking in experience.

Rocco Mediate in 14th would also be a first timer but he has been around the block a few times and has the right spirit and attitude for an occasion like the Ryder Cup, a point he made so well when forcing Woods into “sudden death” in the play-off for the US Open at Torrey Pines.

Next man in could be Zach Johnson, who played at The K Club in 2006 when he claimed a half point from three matches. He and Chad Campbell shared a foursome with Pádraig Harrington and Paul McGinley but Stewart Cink and Johnson were hammered 5 and 4 in the fourballs by David Howell and Paul Casey, who closed the match out with a hole in one! Johnson then lost a singles match against Darren Clarke but a short few months later he was slipping on the green jacket at the Masters in Augusta and he has been consistent since.

So thin on the ground is the American talent that some are advocating a place for John Daly, whose name is not to be found in the top 200 of the world or US rankings. He certainly would add a special touch of excitement and colour to the Ryder Cup but it is difficult to see such a scenario developing.