USA Ryder Cup Roster 2012: Questionable Selections That Must Prove Worthiness

As the United States' Ryder Cup team looks to atone for its loss in 2010 against the Europeans this weekend in Medinah, captain Davis Love III's squad is one of the best in recent memory.

Overloaded with a strong balance between power and precision, the U.S. roster boasts 11 of the top 20 players in the world. Leading that charge will be Tiger Woods, who will look to improve his questionable Ryder Cup prowess while also reclaiming his status as the world's best golfer.

Outside of Woods, the roster also includes household names like Phil Mickelson as well as major champions Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson.

Nevertheless, there are still a few selections on the roster that raised questions in the golf world. With that in mind, here's a look at some guys that need a big weekend to prove their worthiness of selection. 

Jim Furyk

The only U.S. golfer ranked outside the top 20 in the world, it seems that Furyk was simply grandfathered in by Love as a selection.

When taking a quick glimpse at the 42-year-old's career record at the Ryder Cup, it's kind of hard to see why he was selected.

While a respected veteran, Furyk has struggled in nearly every one of his appearances in the tournament. His record in eight appearances is 7-12-3 and has just one winning record on his resume (in 2008).

Though Furyk contended in nearly every big tournament this season, he still missed four cuts and hasn't won a tournament since the 2010 Tour Championship.

To justify being selected, Furyk will have to buck both history and recent trends to come away with victory in his matches.

Dustin Johnson

Another guy who seems to be getting hot at the perfect time, Johnson's 2012 season was pretty easily the worst of any golfer on the roster.

The 28-year-old, who is known for his sensational driving ability, had struggled all season with inaccuracy (possibly related to injuries) before a clutch fix late in the season. Before finishing in 10th place at last week's Tour Championship, Johnson was actually the only member of the United States' squad to lose more points than he gained in the rankings this season.

What's more, Johnson went just 1-3-1 in his first Ryder Cup appearance in 2010. As a captain's pick, he'll have to do better than that and continue improving his driving accuracy to avoid scorn from the public.

Brandt Snedeker

Most would say that Snedeker's victory at the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup champion status makes him unquestionably worthy of a sport on the U.S. roster.

Nonetheless, he's never finished any higher than third place in a major championship and he seemingly blossomed out of nowhere.

At 31, Snedeker is in the prime of his golf career and is one of the best putters on the PGA tour. On the other hand, he's the rookie that comes into the match with by far the most to prove and the skimpiest resume. 

Playing for yourself is an entirely different animal than playing for your country. How Snedeker handles his huge opportunity may prove once and for all whether he's a rising star or simply a flash-in-the-pan second-tier player.