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Ryder Cup captaincy has eluded Irwin, too

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 13:18:00 GMT

ORLANDO - Larry Nelson is getting a lot of ink - and receiving plenty of sympathy - after getting passed over again for the job of Ryder Cup captain. But Nelson isn't the only three-time major winner to have never led a U.S. Ryder Cup team.

True, Hale Irwin did lead the first U.S. Presidents Cup team as a player-captain in 1994, which perhaps explains why he doesn't garner the same support as Nelson is getting after the PGA of America on Thursday selected Tom Watson as the 2014 U.S. captain. Nevertheless, Irwin, a three-time U.S. Open champion and five-time Ryder Cup player, admits he's disappointed to have never gotten the call.

"I would love to have been a Ryder Cup captain. It's one of those things every player who values the traditions we have in our game would want to do," Irwin, 67, said at the PNC Father-Son Challenge, where he is competing with his son, Steve. "Certainly if you're a member of the PGA Tour and have been around the game as long as some of us have and who have played in the Ryder Cup, absolutely I would have loved to have done it. It's not my choice. I never politicked for it. Would I have accepted it? With glee I would have done it.

"Anybody can make an argument for any name player to be a candidate and would think that player would be a capable captain," he added. "I have played with some of the best players in the history of the game. I have played for some of the best captains. I feel honored to have been on those teams. But I think for any of us to go wading into the quicksand of should someone be a captain and do they have the qualifications, I think produces negative results and conversation that takes away from our task of getting 12 players prepared to win back the Ryder Cup for the United States."

Irwin, who won 20 PGA Tour titles and a record 45 times on the Champions Tour (including four Senior PGA Championships), compiled a 13-5-2 record in his five Ryder Cup appearances.

He was involved in one of the most consequential and pressure-packed singles matches in Ryder Cup history when he earned a half-point against Bernhard Langer in the 1991 matches at Kiawah Island, S.C. Langer missed a six-foot putt that allowed America to escape with a 14 Â¿-13 Â¿ victory.

"To think that a Ryder Cup could come down to one six-foot putt on the last hole of the last match ... the last possible stroke, it doesn't get any better than that," Irwin said.

Irwin qualified for that '91 team on the strength of his third U.S. Open victory the previous summer at Medinah CC, where he beat Mike Donald in a playoff.

"In the span of 15 months, I had probably two of the biggest adrenaline rushes I could ever have," Irwin said of his playoff against Donald and his singles match against Langer. "Those were two far different events, and yet the pressure was something that, let's just say it was something I still think about. On the anxiety meter, they both were off the charts. But it was fun. Regardless of the outcome, I could say I was there. I was in the very heat of it. I could feel it.

"Even today when I look back, I get chills thinking about it. Even today, there is an element of shock that all of us felt, on both sides of just how emotionally draining it all was. And you wouldn't trade that for anything to have been there."

(Getty Images photo)

Reaction: Debating the 2014 United States Ryder Cup captain

Steve Hennessey — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 20:48:00 GMT

Davis Love III led the U.S. team out to a four-point lead before Sunday's final round. He admits he still second guesses some of his decisions. By Stephen Hennessey The European cheers from the...

PGA hints Ryder Cup pick will be "different"

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 20:40:00 GMT

By Sam Weinman

For those handicapping the U.S. Ryder Cup captain's selection, consider this somewhat loaded remark by PGA of America president Ted Bishop at a media luncheon Tuesday in New York:

"We've done something a little bit different this year," Bishop said.

Tom Watson in 1993 was the last Ryder Cup captain to win in Europe. Photo: Chris Cole/Getty Images

Presumably Bishop was referring to more than the decision to announce the picks on the "Today" show Thursday morning, but also the standard PGA of America practice of designated a forty-something former major champion winner as the team's next captain. That philosophy stems from the idea that such a player would be young enough to be in touch with today's tour stars, but old enough to no longer be competitive themselves. But perhaps because there's a dearth of such players available -- David Toms, 45, is the only one who jumps out (though, he reportedly has not been approached about the position) -- the PGA may be more leaning toward the likes of Larry Nelson (65) or Tom Watson (63).

Watson was captain of the last U.S. team to win in Europe, at the Belfry in 1993 and said this week he'd love another chance at a captaincy. Nelson, meanwhile, is a three-time major champion with a 9-3-1 career Ryder Cup record who has famously been passed over in the past. But if Bishop's statement is an indicator, he could be getting a second look this year.

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My Shot: Larry Nelson

Guy Yocom — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Twenty-five years after winning the U.S. Open (and 40 years after leaving Vietnam), Mr. Low-Key shares his secrets.

Media: Johnny Miller and the missing C word

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 22:26:00 GMT

(Getty Images photo)

By John Strege

The word with which Johnny Miller, broadcaster, is most closely associated went conspicuously missing at the Ryder Cup on Sunday, even as the U.S. team methodically unraveled, its insurmountable lead surmountable after all.

Miller never mentioned the word "choke," though the U.S. team squandered a 10-6 lead and lost 14 1/2-13 1/2. We can only surmise the criticism he has taken for using the word freely over the years has had an effect on him.

He flirted with the word, at least. "You could say this is the colossal collapse in Chicago," Miller said after Steve Stricker fell behind Martin Kaymer on the 17th hole in the penultimate match, putting the U.S. at a disadvantage. "America has played really poorly on the finishing holes today, which has allowed this to happen. It really is a collapse."

Mark Rolfing also ventured into the vicinity of the word, when after a poor bunker shot by Jim Furyk (shown above) in a tight match at the 17th hole he faced a 15-foot par putt to maintain a 1-up lead over Sergio Garcia.

"It's been a long summer for Jim Furyk in terms of finishing things off in big situations," Rolfing said.

Furyk missed the putt, then lost the 18th hole and the match.

Monty: 'Absolutely ridiculous'

Rory McIlroy was savaged for arriving at Medinah Country Club only 11 minutes prior to his Ryder Cup tee time on Sunday. Good thing for his sake he won his match against Keegan Bradley.

The outspoken Colin Montgomerie was most critical, eviscerating McIlroy as well as European captain Jose Maria Olazabal and his assistants and his caddie J.P. Fitzgerald.

"That's absolutely ridiculous on this level," Montgomerie said during his stint in the NBC booth. "Quite unbelievable...the world number one golfer. How this happened I do not know.

"Where's the captain? Where are the vice captains? Where's his caddie? We were fortunate that he's the one guy, the most natural player on our team, that didn't need to practice. If we had a Faldo or Langer we'd be in trouble."

NBC's Roger Maltbie, meanwhile, was waxing on how impressed he was that McIlroy arrived so late, yet "walked onto the first tee with a smile and went about his business."

"It was embarrassing though," Miller said.

"I wouldn't argue with that," Maltbie replied.

Shanks for the memory

It's no secret that Miller often invokes his own experiences in his analysis, but he had two prime opportunities to do so on Sunday and said nothing.

-- When Webb Simpson shanked his tee shot at the eighth hole, Miller said, "That was one of the fastest swings I think I've ever seen. That's a bad feeling when you've got national TV, Ryder Cup, all these fans, and to think, 'oh, am I going to do it again.' You hit with a shank and people never forget it."

He was speaking from experience, though he failed to inform the audience of that. In the 1972 Bing Crosby National Pro-Am, Miller was in contention on the 16th hole of the final round, when he shanked a shot. He went on to lose to Jack Nicklaus in a playoff.

-- Instructor Jim McLean, who counts Keegan Bradley among his students, posted this on Twitter regarding McIlroy's tardiness and inability to hit balls prior to the starting his round:

"A number of great players hit no balls prior to teeing off. One was Johnny Miller. Wonder if Johnny will mention this?"

He did not.

A graphic reminder

NBC put up a graphic showing those who have gone undefeated in Ryder Cups, and Larry Nelson appeared twice, once going 5-0, once 4-0.

It was a reminder of a glaring oversight on the PGA of America's part, that it never made Nelson a U.S. Ryder Cup captain.

Nelson won two PGA Championships and a U.S. Open and played on three Ryder Cup teams.

On Twitter

Steve Flesch: "I still can't help but to think how big a mistake it was sitting Phil and Keegan yesterday. Every point matters. Strick and Tiger 1-7"

Michelle Wie: "Watching the tv while covering my eyes. I cant watch this....so nervous!! #rydercup #gousa"

Follow @JohnStrege

Father-Son Challenge to return in December

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:25:00 GMT

The Father-Son Challenge, the made-for-television event last held in 2008, appears poised to make a comeback in December -- but with a potentially expanded format -- Golf World has learned.

Alastair Johnston, vice chairman of IMG Worldwide, confirmed that a deal is being sought to bring back a competition that was popular among the participants. The tournament of 18 two-man teams is restricted to fathers who have won at least one major championship and their amateur progeny.

"We're confident that we can get [a contract] done," Johnston said.

In addition to the professional competition, an accompanying amateur competition is being added and contested simultaneously. Teams would be determined via an undetermined number of regional qualifiers in the U.S.

Selection of a host golf course has yet to be finalized. A television source said NBC Sports, which owns the event jointly with IMG, is scheduled to broadcast the 36-hole event live the third weekend in December.

PHOTO GALLERY: Celebrating golf dads

Larry and Drew Nelson won the 2008 edition sponsored by Del Webb and held at ChampionsGate Resort near Orlando. The Nelsons, in fact, won three of the last five, while Bernhard Langer and his son, Stefan, won in 2005-06.

--Dave Shedloski
Follow @DaveShedloski

(Photo by Getty Images)

You Tried It: Think 1-2-3 for consistent chips

Roger Schiffman — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 16:34:00 GMT

On Wednesdays at the Instruction Blog, we often turn to our readers for the best tips they ever received. Please submit your favorite tip to Editors@GolfDigest.com. This week we hear from Scott Morgan on better...

Presidents Cup: The Dream Team

Cliff Schrock — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 05:00:00 GMT

If you could pick players from all Presidents and Ryder Cups, who would make your squad? Here's our lineup.

At the site of a triumph, Nelson bids a quiet goodbye

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 22:07:00 GMT

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. -- Forget the scores of 78 and 75 that Larry Nelson shot. Never mind that on Friday night he would be in the agate scores as another golfer who missed the cut badly in the 93rd PGA Championship at Atlanta Athletic Club. "I didn't make a birdie in two days," Nelson said. "I don't know that I've done that ever."

(Photo by Getty Images)

Although -- even at age 63, at only 5-foot-9 and 150 pounds -- Nelson was frustrated with his performance on the same course where he won the 1981 PGA, it was a successful encore for a man deserving of one.

This was the final major championship for Nelson, who also won the 1983 U.S. Open and 1987 PGA. There was no botanical garden to walk past, no old bridge to pose on, just a long, hard golf course on which a pro's pro could try to do his best on one more time.

From the Archives: U.S. Open Quotes

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 04:00:00 GMT

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