Professional Golf

[sunshine]

A few comments on here about Luke Donald having nothing to prove, and risking his legacy. Golf is an individual sport and those are fair considerations.

But maybe Luke is taking one for the team here and making a totally selfless decision because the players and selectors want him to do it and are telling him he is the best person for the role. He doesn't need to do it, but he is being asked to do it, and he is prepared to risk his legacy for the team.

 

[Depreston]

Haotong Li having some fun

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

Echavarria is having a Spursy round. -6 through 8 holes, Level par after 14 holes

 

[GreiginFife]

Haotong Li having some fun

Going tonto at his caddie as well. Be great if the caddie just calmly responded with “well you hit the shots mate…”

 

[sunshine]

I think he would be great.
Certainly I think the players would enjoy playing for him.
And being in Ireland may of given him more of a chance
Reminds me of Darren Clarke in a lot of ways

I got the impression Darren Clarke was a terrible captain and just didn’t take it as seriously compared with other recent captains.

 

[Depreston]

See John Daly jr two under at the Puerto Rico open

 

[irip]

I got the impression Darren Clarke was a terrible captain and just didn’t take it as seriously compared with other recent captains.

He may well of been, I don’t remember to be honest.
When comparing them I was thinking character wise.

Maybe Lowry would be useless

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

He may well of been, I don’t remember to be honest.
When comparing them I was thinking character wise.

Maybe Lowry would be useless

I think personality has a lot to do with being RC Captain and combined with modern analytics. Clarke was very much himself and his leadership was deemed a "little loose", but he also had an underperforming team. Lowry could be a good shout as he could be the laid back focal point and he has a fire in his belly when it comes to RC, if you could couple that with Ed Molinaris data as Vice Captain it could be a winning formula especially in Ireland.

I think thats why USA getting Woods in as Captain would work for them, he leaves no stone unturned when it comes to his own game so he could be the US captain to instil a more analytical approach to team selection and pairings. Plus you get the feeling if he ask's for something in preparation for team rooms, team set up etc he will get what he wants, I could even see him bringing back the "Azinger Pod system". Certainly think it'd be a better match up with him v's Luke.

 

[irip]

I think personality has a lot to do with being RC Captain and combined with modern analytics. Clarke was very much himself and his leadership was deemed a "little loose", but he also had an underperforming team. Lowry could be a good shout as he could be the laid back focal point and he has a fire in his belly when it comes to RC, if you could couple that with Ed Molinaris data as Vice Captain it could be a winning formula especially in Ireland.

I think thats why USA getting Woods in as Captain would work for them, he leaves no stone unturned when it comes to his own game so he could be the US captain to instil a more analytical approach to team selection and pairings. Plus you get the feeling if he ask's for something in preparation for team rooms, team set up etc he will get what he wants, I could even see him bringing back the "Azinger Pod system". Certainly think it'd be a better match up with him v's Luke.

I agree about the captain only being as good as his team.
Harrington when he was captain got a good hiding but I have never heard anyone say he was anything but a great captain, Faldo on the other hand a lot of people have said he was poor.

I think Lowry in Ireland with a lot of the guys who will have played with him would have been his best chance of getting it.

I think you’re right with Woods, I think he would do it his way and he would reinvigorate the US side.
Can imagine him changing a lot of things in preparation etc.

 

[Mel Smooth]

I can't see Woods being prepared to be a loser - which he will be if he takes the Captaincy for an away Ryder Cup.

He'll say he's got too many other commitments as the reason for not taking the position of course.

 

[irip]

I can't see Woods being prepared to be a loser - which he will be if he takes the Captaincy for an away Ryder Cup.

He'll say he's got too many other commitments as the reason for not taking the position of course.

He may well be in a position to decide when he wants to do it where a lot of others will only get it offered once.

Although whoever takes it on next time will be in a position of being expected to lose just based on recent results and being away so a free hit in some ways.

 

[Orikoru]

I'm not sure Woods would be a great captain at all. Always felt like more of a lone wolf than a team player. It's also a bit like the old football analogy, where the best players don't always become the best managers, if their standards and expectations are too high.

 

[irip]

I'm not sure Woods would be a great captain at all. Always felt like more of a lone wolf than a team player. It's also a bit like the old football analogy, where the best players don't always become the best managers, if their standards and expectations are too high.

I agree, no guarantee anyone will be good or bad at the role judged on their playing career, otherwise Jack would have been the US captain since 1986.

Some of our best captains have not been the very best players (obviously all very good).

 

[Lucifer MorningStar]

I'm not sure Woods would be a great captain at all. Always felt like more of a lone wolf than a team player. It's also a bit like the old football analogy, where the best players don't always become the best managers, if their standards and expectations are too high.

Thing is the RC Captain doesn't need to be a team player, he needs to be a figure heard and someone that can make things happen. For the team player aspect that's what his Vice captains are for, no one bigger or better in the game for the US players to look up to and nobody better in the game to get what he wants from the supporting brands, associations and spectators. His playing record is irrelevant and that previous lone wolf persona he had has long gone as he's mellowed in recent years. I genuinely don't see a better candidate for them to regalvanise their RC teams, in recent years their team player guys have done terrible jobs, maybe it's time for them to make that change and have a figure head that will command respect instead of just being a team guy.

 

[Swango1980]

I'm not sure Woods would be a great captain at all. Always felt like more of a lone wolf than a team player. It's also a bit like the old football analogy, where the best players don't always become the best managers, if their standards and expectations are too high.

I guess making such comparisons is pointless though. Some great footballers make terrible managers, some make great managers. Some average players make great managers, some make terrible managers.

I can't imagine Woods, as captain, would behave in the same way as he did as a player, in which he basically blanks everyone else and focuses purely on what he needs to do. We have no real idea what Woods would be like as Captain until he does it, but we know there must be a lot of players who will look up to him as a legend.

Anyway, there are probably also examples of players who where amongst the best of their era, who also did well as Captain. Thinking Monty, Seve, Langer

 

[D-S]

I guess making such comparisons is pointless though. Some great footballers make terrible managers, some make great managers. Some average players make great managers, some make terrible managers.

I can't imagine Woods, as captain, would behave in the same way as he did as a player, in which he basically blanks everyone else and focuses purely on what he needs to do. We have no real idea what Woods would be like as Captain until he does it, but we know there must be a lot of players who will look up to him as a legend.

Anyway, there are probably also examples of players who where amongst the best of their era, who also did well as Captain. Thinking Monty, Seve, Langer

Was Monty ever a RC Captain? - can’t seem to remember him ever mentioning it.

 

[irip]

Was Monty ever a RC Captain? - can’t seem to remember him ever mentioning it.

I don’t think he has but should have been.
The same goes for Paul Mcginley