Golfing News

Now that there are two full rosters, let the onslaught of Ryder Cup scuttlebutt begin.

U.S. Captain Paul Azinger named his four at-large berths at a Tuesday morning press conference, selecting Steve Stricker, J.B. Holmes, Chad Campbell and Hunter Mahan. Of the four, only Campbell  (2004 and ‘06) has experience playing for the Cup.

They join the eight players who qualified based on their points standings on the U.S. Ryder Cup Points List, which was finalized after the PGA Championship four weeks ago. Those who will help the U.S. cause at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky are Phil Mickelson, Stewart Cink, Kenny Perry, Jim Furyk, Anthony Kim, Justin Leonard, Ben Curtis and Boo Weekley.

The lineup leaves Azinger a squad in which only six of the 12 have played for the Cup before. And because those six have a career 19-37-17 match record, the Americans, for likely the first time ever, enter the competition as a decisive underdog.

Mickelson and Furyk are the “gray-beards” of the U.S. squad, but their match records are 9-12-4 and 6-12-2 respectively. Had Tiger Woods been available, his mark wouldn’t be much better at 10-13-2. His knee injury leaves the U.S. Tiger-less for the first time since 1995.
Nick Faldo takes a veteran team to Valhalla that carries a 41-27-12 record: Paul Casey, Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia, Soren Hansen, Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Robert Karlsson, Graeme McDowell, Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood and Oliver Wilson.

The first shots will be struck on Friday, Sept. 19 at 8:05 a.m.

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US RYDER CUP TEAM IN FULL

UNITED STATES TEAM

(world ranking)
2. Phil Mickelson
8. Steve Stricker
9. Stewart Cink
13. Jim Furyk
15. Anthony Kim
17. Kenny Perry
23. Justin Leonard
33. Ben Curtis
35. Boo Weekley
37. Hunter Mahan
53. Chad Campbell
55. JB Holmes

EUROPE TEAM
4. Padraig Harrington (Ireland)
5. Sergio Garcia (Spain)
6. Henrik Stenson (Sweden)
12. Lee Westwood (GB)
14. Justin Rose (GB)
18. Miguel A. Jimenez (Spa)
21. Robert Karlsson (Sweden)
25. Ian Poulter (GB)
31. Graeme McDowell (GB)
36. Paul Casey (GB)
44. Soren Hansen (Denmark)
48. Oliver Wilson (GB)

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