2010 Ryder Cup: The Most Controversial Team USA in History

The 2010 Ryder Cup will prove to be the most controversial in history, and also likely show that the US has ceded its position in the world to become the number two group of golfers if Tiger Woods is allowed to play.

While still in formation, the team should still give everyone pause: Phil Mickelson, Hunter Mahan, Bubba Watson, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Jeff Overton and Matt Kuchar. The major anchors are Furyk and Mickelson. Neither has been much of a success this year. Despite Mickelson's Masters win, he is suffering physically, and Furyk has little stamina for the long haul.

Thus, Team USA will rely on its youngsters to decide its fate. 

In contrast, while still not picked, Team Europe will have Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, and Luke Donald. The choices will not be controversial, and the team spirit will be high.

The controversy, which trails Tiger Woods everywhere these days, will surround whether Woods is chosen. Not because of the merits, although on the merits Tiger Woods is no great Ryder Cup player. But because Tiger Woods has never engendered good spirits among his teammates and would be a burden to everyone if he makes the team.

Cory Pavin is to decide Woods' fate. In a prelude to his choice, Pavin and broadcaster Jim Gray got into one of the most memorable arguments in golfing history before the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits this year. As reported by The Washington Post:

Working as a reporter for The Golf Channel, Gray went on the air last Tuesday evening to tell viewers he had spoken to U.S. Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin earlier in the day and asked him if he planned to make slumping Tiger Woods one of his four wild-card captain's choice picks for the American team. Gray said on the air that Pavin told him that "of course I'm going to (select Woods). He's the best player in the world."

All that being said, Gray clearly made an egregious mistake in confronting Pavin the next day shortly after Captain America had concluded his news conference. He did it in full view of a number of his fellow media members, many of whom reported that Gray poked Pavin in the chest, a gesture that touched off a heated exchange between the two men, with Pavin's wife Lisa also in the discussion. Pavin was widely quoted as saying Gray told him "you're going down." But one eyewitness, a highly decorated, veteran golf writer who watched it all unfold, told me he never heard Gray say those words and that the quote came only from Lisa Pavin, who said she had recorded the argument on her cell phone.

Elsewhere, it was reported that Pavin said for Gray not to touch his wife.

Whatever happened, the real truth is that Gray was almost certainly quoting Pavin correctly. In fact, he never directly denied saying that he had not confirmed the pick, and the PGA apparently had Pavin backtrack later saying that Woods would get a lot of consideration due to the fact that this was Woods.

There is no easy way to end this controversy. If Woods is picked, then was Gray right? If he is not picked, does that prove independence?

The fact is that Team USA is already weak. And Mickelson has never been much of a Woods fan, much less of his caddy. To add the controversy over a Woods pick at this time will be horrendous for Team USA.

On the other side of the ledger are a legion of fans who like to watch Woods no matter what he has done in his private life. Leaving him off, when he is, according to many, still the best golfer in the world despite his missteps, would be totally unjustified. 

So in the end, neither picking Woods or leaving him off will help Team USA. Controversy will surround Pavin's pick. 

The Real Truth is that a Woods pick would be the last straw for Team USA. Never a good player except on his own, and his game in major flux, he would not even be considered if he were not Tiger Woods. For that reason alone, he should not be on the 2010 Ryder Cup team.