Pavin has plenty to ponder amid Tiger’s tale of woe

AFTER a woeful performance from Tiger Woods in Ohio at the weekend, United States Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin may well have to review his long-stated position that the world number one is an integral part of his planning for this year’s title defence against Europe.

Woods finished tied for 78th at the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational at Akron’s Firestone Country Club, a final-round 77 sending him to an 18-over-par closing total in the no-cut event and leaving the 14-time major winner under no illusions about the current state of his game.

Following the conclusion of the US PGA Championship next Sunday, Pavin will learn the eight automatic qualifiers on his 12-man team to take on Colin Montgomerie’s Europeans at Celtic Manor in Newport in October.

If Woods fails to secure his ticket to Wales with a US PGA finish that will return him to the top eight next Sunday, he will have until September 7 to convince Pavin, and himself, that he is worthy of a place via the captain’s four wildcard picks.

Bridgestone winner Hunter Mahan, a captain’s pick by Paul Azinger two years ago for Valhalla, has no doubt Woods will turn things around. After beating Woods by 30 strokes at Firestone, Mahan referred to the world number one’s personal problems, exposed last winter by revelations he had been having multiple extra-marital affairs and said: “He’ll find his game, I have no doubt about that.”

Mahan’s victory made sure of his place on Pavin’s team, catapulting him from 10th place to second thanks to his $1.4 million (€1.05 million) winner’s cheque. Mahan’s victory actually bumped Dustin Johnson out of the top eight into ninth but he is still in close contact with the eighth and final automatic spot, now occupied by 2009 US Open champion, Lucas Glover.

Johnson is just 20 points behind Glover in the standings and only 32 behind Matt Kuchar, meaning there is more than just major glory at stake when the Americans tee off at Whistling Straits on Thursday.