US players in the Ryder Cup
Saturday - 9/22/2012, 12:02am ET
By DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
(AP) - A capsule look at the U.S. players for the 39th Ryder Cup matches, to be played Sept. 28-30 at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Ill. Players listed in the order they made the team:
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TIGER WOODS
Age: 36.
World ranking: 2.
Ryder Cups: 6.
Ryder Cup record: 13-14-2.
Career victories: 86.
2012 victories: Arnold Palmer Invitational, Memorial, AT&T National.
Majors: 14.
2012 Majors: Masters-T40, US Open-T21, British Open-T3, PGA Championship-T11.
Backspin: A captain's pick last time, Woods has returned to being the top American player and will be expected to win points whenever he plays. He already has won three times this year, with three other tournaments in the top 3. He has had winning records (3-1, 3-2) his last two Ryder Cups, and has a chance at this one to go over .500 for the first time. He likely will partner with Steve Stricker, with whom he played every match in 2010 at Wales and 2009 in the Presidents Cup.
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BUBBA WATSON
Age: 33.
World ranking: 7.
Ryder Cups: 1.
Ryder Cup record: 1-3-0.
Career victories: 4.
2012 victories: Masters.
Majors: 1.
2012 Majors: Masters-1, US Open-Cut, British Open-T23, PGA Championship-T11.
Backspin: Watson is unpredictable in so many ways, including the golf course. The Masters champion has challenged in only one tournament since April, spending more time at home with his newly adopted son. His length will be an asset, his creativity never hurt and he has a partner he trusts in Webb Simpson. Watson won his opening match with Jeff Overton in Wales, and then never won another match.
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JASON DUFNER
Age: 35.
World ranking: 6.
Ryder Cups: Rookie.
Ryder Cup record: 0-0-0.
Career victories: 2.
2012 victories: Zurich Classic, Byron Nelon Championship.
Majors: None.
2012 Majors: Masters-T24, US Open-T4, British Open-T31, PGA Championship-T27.
Backspin: This will be the one player European fans still don't know, despite his two wins this year on the PGA Tour and his playoff loss last year in the PGA Championship. All anyone needs to know is that Dufner is reliable. He's not easily rattled, though that figures to be tested in his first Ryder Cup. He can partner with just about anyone. The one area of his game that can't afford to stay home is his putting.
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KEEGAN BRADLEY
Age: 26.
World ranking: 13.
Ryder Cups: Rookie.
Ryder Cup record: 0-0-0.
Career victories: 3.
2012 victories: Bridgestone Invitational.
Majors: 1.
2012 Majors: Masters-T27, US Open-T68, British Open-T34, PGA Championship-T3.
Backspin: The former PGA champion embodies the younger blood on the U.S. team, and this one is a gamer. He regularly plays money games with Phil Mickelson, and he showed plenty of fight when he hung in there long enough to beat Jim Furyk at Firestone. He also holed a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th at Riviera to force a playoff. Bradley is long off the tee and was a good putter even before he went to the belly putter. He likely will be spending a lot of time with Mickelson at Medinah.
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WEBB SIMPSON
Age: 27.
World ranking: 8.
Ryder Cups: Rookie.
Ryder Cup record: 0-0-0.
Career victories: 3.
2012 victories: U.S. Open.
Majors: 1.
2012 Majors: Masters-T44, US Open-1, British Open-DNP, PGA Championship-Cut.
Backspin: Simpson doesn't have the most beautiful swing in golf, but it's efficient and he gets the most out of his game every time he plays. He teamed with Watson at Royal Melbourne in the Presidents Cup last year, and they went 3-1. Simpson lost his singles match to K.T. Kim. He won his first major at the U.S. Open, and then took five weeks off as his wife gave birth to their second child. He has not been much of a factor the last two months.
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ZACH JOHNSON
Age: 36.
World ranking: 16.
Ryder Cups: 2.
Ryder Cup record: 3-3-1.
Career victories: 9.
2012 victories: Colonial, John Deere Classic.
Majors: 1.
2012 Majors: Masters-T32, US Open-T41, British Open-T9, PGA Championship-70.
Backspin: He is the only American player who does not have a losing record despite never playing on a winning team. That says something about Johnson, who was a captain's pick in 2010 and brings key elements to match play _ accuracy, great wedge play and a solid putter. A two-time winner this year, he might play a bigger role on this U.S. team that most casual fans realize.
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MATT KUCHAR
Age: 34.
World ranking: 14.
Ryder Cups: 1.
Ryder Cup record: 1-1-2.
