Will Westwood make the Ryder Cup team?

[Steve Wilkes]

This caddy question is strange. Are these players so limited in that they have to have a caddy telling them which club to hit, as I see suggested from time to time. I think that is a myth , built on the situation in the olden days when a
Golf Club local, who knew the course well, would suggest to his relatively new( to the course) player which was the best club.
Any modern pro,having practiced on well known venues, should know which club to use.The caddy can tell him how far to the green, and features etc, obviously, but beyond that....
As Trevino said.. a caddy can tell me how far it is, but never to tell me what club to use., or words to that effect.
As moral support etc, yes. But not giving instruction, surely not?
And, also, as a personal rule change I would make - caddies not allowed on the green to advise re putting.
Comments???

Can they stand off the green and advise?

 

[drdel]

He is too old get the young blood in the team with some passion?

 

[Imurg]

He is too old get the young blood in the team with some passion?

Is that Passion or Anger.?

 

[davidy233]

He'll qualify and he'll play well in it

 

[sunshine]

This caddy question is strange. Are these players so limited in that they have to have a caddy telling them which club to hit, as I see suggested from time to time. I think that is a myth , built on the situation in the olden days when a
Golf Club local, who knew the course well, would suggest to his relatively new( to the course) player which was the best club.
Any modern pro,having practiced on well known venues, should know which club to use.The caddy can tell him how far to the green, and features etc, obviously, but beyond that....
As Trevino said.. a caddy can tell me how far it is, but never to tell me what club to use., or words to that effect.
As moral support etc, yes. But not giving instruction, surely not?
And, also, as a personal rule change I would make - caddies not allowed on the green to advise re putting.
Comments???

If you listen to the conversations between caddie and player, many are much more than just a bag carrier and provider of distance information. Often they are deeply involved in shot selection, but it looks like little pep talks and comments to build confidence are the key requirements of the top caddies.

 

[sunshine]

I went no, not because I don't think he will qualify but that the interviews I've seen him give on this suggest he doesn't want to play in it this time, his time is done. Perhaps those comments were a defence mechanism at the time he said them, maybe he would love another go at it? If his heart isn't in it any more then perhaps he will ask Harrington to leave him out as a player, have him as a VC? He certainly doesn't need to prove anything as a player in the RC any more.

In terms of actual qualification I think he will comfortably make it and will be there if he wants to be..

I don't know what his schedule looks like, but on current form he's going to qualify. I can't see him declining to play if he's got an automatic spot.

 

[Grizzly]

He certainly didn't choke - he missed a couple of shortish puts but neither was a gimme and otherwise gave a great account of himself.

I personally don't think he will make it. Its well known he doesnt play as many events as some others and the way the qualification is split between world and European points lists probably mitigates against the guy sneaking into last place quite the way they did 20 years ago. As for a pick, I just think that as great as he is, the question marks that have always existed over his short game might mean that the likes of Garcia, Poulter, Molinari and Rose are considered ahead of him.