Seve Trophy cont...

[chipin1]

Now that the dust has settled on the Seve Trophy - what does everyone think? I know that John and birdieman will have been left cold and unimpressed but I thought it was at least a good run out for Faldo. Also, chances are he's going to have to pick at least one or two of the youngsters playing - the way they played last week will have shown their suitability to matchplay golf.

Thoughts please...

 

[birdieman]

Didn't watch it, neither did anyone else by the sounds of it!
Dont think there's any 'suitability to matchplay golf' amongst the pros, anything can happen on the day, seem to remember Garcia(Europes best player in 06) getting stuffed in the singles by Cink despite playing ok himself -just who holes the putts on the day. Woods gets beaten regularly in matchplay, rarely in strokeplay -you'd still want him on your team though!

 

[USER1999]

I watched a bit of it, and quite enjoyed it. Much prefer watching match play to stroke play anyway. The standard of golf was excellent, but the event will only ever get a decent turn out of spectators (both live, and on telly) when the likes of sergio and padraig grace it with their presence. As long as the top pros ignore it, it will always be of minor interest. Better than the Solheim anyway.

 

[chipin1]

I think the Seve Trophy is important to guage someone's suitability to matchplay. As you say about Tiger - there are some people who are far better at strokeplay....

Even towards the end of his career Seve was awesome at the Ryder Cup. Monty might not make it in next time because he's lacking qualifying points but you wouldn't leave him out of the team! Knowing that Bradley Dredge only dropped half a point and that Raphael Jacquelin was a tough compeitor might well prove very helpful.

 

[MacMachattie]

Definitely agree Chipin that it's a helpful exercise to get a look at how some of the fringe players perform under the pressure of matchplay. But, as a spectacle, it leaves a little to be desired. I wouldn't miss one second of the Ryder Cup but I wasn't even vaguely disappointed to have missed nearly all the coverage of the Seve Trophy.

 

[Junior]

It was good golf and in my eye's great to watch, simple as. Long putts, nervous putts, an ace, chip in's and good sportsmanship all the way through.

 

[viscount17]

Woods gets beaten regularly in matchplay, rarely in strokeplay -you'd still want him on your team though!

Two thoughts on this and both can be summed up in one word - why?
Why is it that he does get beaten so regularly? Could it be that he can remain totally self-focussed in strokeplay but can't in matchplay?
Why would you want him on your team? Realistically a better matchplayer, though overall a lesser golfer, will get you more points. And he doesn't come across as much of a team player (anyone watch any of the President's Cup games).
(Mind you I said the same about Gascoine and Rooney - they might be brilliant at times but if they leave you with 10 men they're more of a liability)

 

[chipin1]

Well said. I'm not sure that Paul Azinger is ruthless enough to leave Tiger out of one of the foursomes/fourball rounds

 

[notrub]

I thought the matches were really good and, it did show Falso is quite capable of picking a team and getting the pairings right to beat the opposition, despite some snide comments from previous Ryder Cup captains prior to the event!

 

[madandra]

I have had a theory on Tiger and the Ryder for a couple of years now and here it is:

Tiger is the most single minded and selfish golfer in the world, thats what has brought him so much success. However, that ethos does not work in the Ryder Cup and I believe that either the pressure of being accountable to a playing partner and the USA support and or having his golfing destiny in the hands of a third party does not sit comfortably on his shoulders.

If he looses a strokeplay tour event he has only let himself down, add the weight of a vitriolic nation, fed on propoganda since birth who honestly think the USA is invincible at everything and you have created a burden that even HE cannnot shoulder.

Cheers and goodnight.