Before beginning a discussion of the Ryder Cup, I must state up front that I consider the 1990s version of the event an embarrassment, and the new millennium state of things simply distasteful.  The PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe have turned this once-sporting event – a competition created to foster goodwill between the United States and the United Kingdom, we must remember – into a corporate greedfest, squeezing every last dollar from its bloated body, frequently resorting to tacky, jingoistic marketing in the process.  Unbeknownst to many fans, many of these economic shenanigans are balanced on the backs of the participating players, who are required to engage in all manner of non-golf-related glad-handing nonsense.  Even the course selection process, which once saw grand venues like Pinehurst, Wentworth, Ganton and Muirfield chosen, is today governed purely by money – as demonstrated by recent stops like The Belfry, the K Club and this year’s site, Valhalla (hint: the PGA of America owns the place).
 
That said, however, there will forever remain a certain excitement to watching players known solely as individual competitors playing, in unison, for their country; it is a dynamic seldom seen in professional golf, and surely never with this sort of drama (sorry President’s Cup).
 
So as we prepare for our biennial super-hyping of this otherwise engaging event, it’s time to examine the competing teams, including those players who’ve clinched a spot, and those likely to be considered for those coveted captain’s picks.  Today we’ll look at the American squad, tomorrow the Europeans – and my early sense is that for fans of the U.S. side, it will not be the prettiest of pictures…
 
U.S. Captain Paul Azinger has inherited the following eight players as automatic qualifiers:
 
1) Phil Mickelson – The world’s #2 player arrives in dodgy form, and with a career 9-12-4 Ryder Cup mark (including a 3-3 singles ledger), he hardly seems the man upon which to build.  Then again, perhaps not drowning in the specter of Tiger Woods will somehow boost his game; Zinger’s likely in trouble if it doesn’t.
 
2) Stewart Cink – A very simple dilemma here: Cink was on fire during the spring; he isn’t now.  And a career 3-5-4 record (1-2 in singles) does little to suggest a sudden resurgence of form on this particular stage.
 
3) Kenny Perry – Similar to Cink, however Perry’s hot streak might have a little life left in it.  Playing in his home state of Kentucky might help lift his game, but with a 1-2 record in his lone previous Ryder Cup appearance (2004), Azinger would rather gamble on Perry’s squeezing one more hot week out of his run. 
 
4) Jim Furyk– Furyk’s steady, unflappable game would seem ideally suited to the pressure of the Ryder Cup stage – but his career 6-12-2 ledger (in five previous appearances) suggests otherwise.  Perhaps he’s simply been saddled with lousy partners, however, as his singles mark is a much more tasteful 3-1-1.
 
5) Anthony Kim – Perhaps the most appealing of Captain Azinger’s wildcards.  Though just a pup, Kim has plenty of game and even more confidence.  If any newcomer figures to make a splash for the Americans, this is the logical choice.
 
6) Justin Leonard – For all of Leonard’s Ryder Cup fame (he memorably holed one of the game’s more controversial putts to clinch the 1999 contest), his career record is 0-3-5 – not the sort of stuff that suggests a veteran presence coming to the rescue.  Another  whose best golf came months ago – though he did win at Memphis in early June.
 
7) Ben Curtis – Not on anyone’s Ryder Cup radar back in January but played his way in, fair and square.  The problem is that nearly all of his points came from the Open Championship (T7) and the PGA (T2).  He also recorded a T2 in May at Wachovia but beyond that, it’s been a pretty nondescript year…
 
8) Boo Weekley – A solid tee-to-greener whose general insouciance suggests he might thrive here.  But as seems the norm with the Americans, his peak of form came several months ago – though he’s not exactly struggling either.

Given the general played-well-in-April dynamic that seems to permeate this group, it’s perhaps not surprising that Azinger has stressed a desire to find hot players with his four Captain’s picks.  In this light, it’s chancy to speculate on the lucky four with several weeks of golf left to play, but at present, my choices would be:

Steve Stricker – Barring a complete August collapse, this one seems a no-brainer.  Stricker was only bumped from the final automatic spot by Ben Curtis’s T2 at the PGA and, though a potential Ryder Cup rookie, he’s a tough, experienced player.  His game struggled a bit in April/May but a T7 at the Open Championship suggests he’s back on the upswing.

Rocco Mediate – This may seem a sentimental choice, plus he’s a close friend of Azinger’s, but the ever-loveable Rocco really has played some inspired golf this summer.  He’d be a Ryder Cup rookie, and he’s currently 14th in points, but he’s got more experience than most ahead of him…and his attitude figures to be great in the team room.

Zach Johnson – Kind of a hunch here, because the 2007 Masters champion has had a dully unimpressive 2008.  The thing is, unlike virtually every other captain’s pick contender, Johnson has proven himself capable of succeeding under suffocating pressure – and that’s exactly what the Ryder Cup will offer.

Sean O’Hair – There were a number of contenders for this spot, including Woody Austin, J.B. Holmes, Hunter Mahan, Brandt Snedeker, D.J. Trahan and others.  I’d opt for O’Hair, however, as his recent form seems the best – plus none of the competition strike me as being in any way likely to perform better.  Case closed.

Tomorrow, Captain Nick Faldo’s European troops…