Kevin and the Captain

The American Ryder Cup team ought to be on pins and needles. Captain Tom Watson sits at -3 after 3 rounds... And is outplaying a few of the players who was hoping to affect him this week. Many humans puzzled if the younger gamers would appreciate him enough. Well, while your Captain is nearly 65 years antique (just months shy) and is kicking your ass, you BETTER respect him!

Starting at #7 inside the American Ryder Cup factors listing, right here are the players (with their scores) so as thru #23 (an NP means they are not gambling on the Greenbrier:

• Rickie Fowler NP
• Jason Dufner NP
• Patrick Reed -3
• Phil Mickelson NP
• Chris Kirk -1
• Harris English NP
• Brendon Todd -5
• Zach Johnson NP
• Kevin Na -3
• Ryan Moore NP
• Webb Simpson -3
• Keegan Bradley -5
• Erik Compton NP
• Matt Every NP
• Kevin Stadler NP
• Gary Woodland -2
• JB Holmes -5

It's not particularly impressive, is it? No one is more than 2 shots ahead of the Captain... and some are going backwards. That's not good when your Captain is looking for players who can close out matches.

One call, however, may additionally have Tom's attention regardless of no longer being at the Greenbrier. Kevin Stadler, presently #21 on the list, won't get any Ryder Cup factors this week. However, he's playing at a destiny European Ryder Cup website (the 2018 course, in case you failed to recognise) and he's gambling in opposition to a fairly stout discipline in the French Open. A few names you may recognize -- Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Victor Dubuisson and Thomas Bjorn are all gamers who're on or will probable be on the Euro Ryder Cup team.

Of those who made the cut, Kevin is leading the rest by using at least 4 strokes getting into the very last round... And has led since the first round. BTW, did I point out that no American has won the French Open due to the fact 1972?

I recognise that Kevin has no Ryder Cup enjoy. I recognize that he might not get any Ryder Cup factors this week -- it's some thing that could want to be addressed inside the close to destiny if we are hoping to get the satisfactory Americans qualified for the crew. But if he successfully pulls off this twine-to-cord win -- beating the Europeans on their own turf in an occasion no American has won in 42 years -- I suspect Kevin Stadler will be an awful lot higher on Tom Watson's private listing than he's on any factors listing.

And I suspect in order to show to be the quality listing to be on.