• We'd like to take this opportunity to wish you a Happy Holidays and a very Merry Christmas from all at Golf Monthly. Thank you for sharing your 2025 with us!

Garcia - anti Faldo?

Jacko_G

Blackballed
Joined
Jul 13, 2015
Messages
7,028
Visit site
On becoming the leading points winner his quote was

" I have passed some of my heroes today-and Nick Faldo."
 
I thought you were going tell us a story about Garcia's auntie Faldo for a minute.....

Faldo it a bit of a smug git so no surprise not a lot of guys have little or no time for him
 
Such a brilliant Ryder Cup from Garcia - even sweeter for him when considering the amount of people that had said he shouldn’t have been picked - Bjorn picked him for a reason and he fully justified it, to beat Faldo record was brilliant and his emotions showed how much it meant - kicks into touch any thinking of it being meaningless
 
I was certainly, reluctantly, of the opinion that Garcia shouldn't have gone.

His form was just so poor. I was also not happy that he didn't play any european events after missing the Fed Ex Cup playoffs. And Rafa Cabrerra Belo was in very decent form and also had a good record from the last Ryder Cup.

However, I think what has gone on was a conversation with Bjorn and Garcia after the Wyndham in which Bjorn put his faith in Garcia and Garcia to choose his own schedule to try and find some form prior to the Ryder Cup. This has obviously worked with taking some time off and only playing 1 event in the month prior to Paris.

Ultimately this is what Captains picks are for and as we are 'outside the ropes' we don't know the conversations that take place and the relationship players have. Garcia has qualified on merit for every other RC he's played in so he was certainly due to 'cash in' a wild card pick.
 
Our "picks" performance stands up to scrutiny .... US doesnt!

That's true - but didn't last time when Westwood and Kaymer were very poor, and Clarke had not picked the in form Knox (who would have easily qualified if his HSBC win in late 2015 had been counted) and who was likely to be more suited to the conditions in a US event.

Ultimately it's horses for courses.

I couldn't fault the guys America picked. These were the guys next in line on the list and there were very good reasons for picking Phil, Tiger and Bryson (who all bombed). Ok, so a Kisner, Zach Johnson, Kuchar team looks potentially far more ominous on that course, after we've seen the event. And who is to say Europe wouldn't have opted for a more 'neutral' set up if the US had picked all those guys.

But the pressure on these guys would have been immense if they'd been picked ahead of Tiger, Bryson and Phil.
 
That's true - but didn't last time when Westwood and Kaymer were very poor, and Clarke had not picked the in form Knox (who would have easily qualified if his HSBC win in late 2015 had been counted) and who was likely to be more suited to the conditions in a US event.

Ultimately it's horses for courses.

I couldn't fault the guys America picked. These were the guys next in line on the list and there were very good reasons for picking Phil, Tiger and Bryson (who all bombed). Ok, so a Kisner, Zach Johnson, Kuchar team looks potentially far more ominous on that course, after we've seen the event. And who is to say Europe wouldn't have opted for a more 'neutral' set up if the US had picked all those guys.

But the pressure on these guys would have been immense if they'd been picked ahead of Tiger, Bryson and Phil.
Tiger and BDC were not questionable at all though in my book, they were both in good form with recent wins. The only dodgy one was Mickelson since he's been off form for a long time, seemingly. Same for us, I think Garcia was the only questionable pick for us - luckily that gamble paid off as he somehow pulled his best golf out of the hat.
 
Tiger and BDC were not questionable at all though in my book, they were both in good form with recent wins. The only dodgy one was Mickelson since he's been off form for a long time, seemingly. Same for us, I think Garcia was the only questionable pick for us - luckily that gamble paid off as he somehow pulled his best golf out of the hat.

Mickelson, much like Garcia, had qualified on merit for every team event since 1993 (every single season as Presidents Cup qualification runs every year the Ryder Cup doesn't). So I feel he was entitled to 'cash in' his pick and you can always imagine that someone as talented and evergreen as Mickelson can turn up at a big event and find some inspiration. The problem was not using him in Fourball as there is no way he should have been playing Foursomes - really on any course, much less Paris National.
 
Top