The eight automatic qualifiers for the USA Ryder Cup team to take on Europe next month were confirmed after Brooks Koepka won the US PGA Championship on Sunday and Jim Furyk can look forward to captaining an enviable array of talent, which includes seven major winners.
Furyk will have to manage a host of differing personalities and how he deals with the two-time US Masters winner, Bubba Watson, during the heat of battle at Le Golf National in Paris could define USA's bid to win on European soil for the first time since 1993.
The enigmatic Watson is a wonderfully talented player whose ball-striking ability has earned him two US Masters titles at Augusta and more than $40m in prize money during his career. And yet, his personality has resulted in him regularly being singled out as the most unpopular player on the PGA Tour as tantrums, arguments and his combustible demeanour on course have made unwanted headlines.
How will the 39-year-old cope with partisan crowds in Paris?
Well, Watson has previous in France as he singled out fan behaviour and poor security as reasons behind his missed cut at the French Open in 2011, whilst also giving an interview that suggested he wasn't entirely enamoured with the French capital following a day of site-seeing.
I don’t know the names of all the things, the big tower, Eiffel Tower, an arch [Arc de Triomphe], whatever I rode around in a circle.
And then what’s that – it starts with an ‘L’ – Louvre, something like that. One of those.”
Watson gave the impression that he couldn't wait to get away and he is a player whose career has been defined by an 'all or nothing' outlook. His record in majors is testament to that as he has finished in the top-ten of just three majors outside of his 2012 and 2014 Masters wins and his tie for 5th at Augusta earlier this year was only the third time in the past eight major tournaments that he has stayed for the weekend.
His calendar year is a microcosm of that ability to go all out and win tournaments as he has won three titles - Genesis Open, World Match Play and Travelers Championship - to go along with just two other top-tens in 17 events.
Those three wins in 2018 have marked a wonderful resurgence in form to earn Watson an automatic qualifying spot for the Ryder Cup and his win at the World Match Play enhanced his fine record in singles match - his career win-loss halved record in singles stands at an impressive 20-11-4, and yet his team match play record is a disappointing 7-7-1.
Watson's single track, bloody mindedness is what has made him a great golfer and major winner. However, those same traits have made him a tricky character to be around when he is required to be part of a team for the Presidents Cup and Ryder Cup.
Watson took an impressive six points from his matches at the 2011 and 2015 Presidents Cup events as USA emerged victorious against the International team both times, which raises the question as to whether Watson only sparkles when his teammates are playing well?
His Ryder Cup record adds substance to the theory. Watson has appeared as a player at three previous Ryder Cups - 2010, 2012, 2014 - with Europe winning all three. On a personal note, Watson won one point at the 2010 event, two points in 2012 and zero points in 2014, leaving his career Ryder Cup record at 3-8-0.
A return of three points from eleven matches is a paltry effort for a player of Watson's talent and it is perhaps why American captain David Love III overlooked him for the 2016 tournament, which USA won at Hazeltine. Watson was given a late, token call-up as a vice-captain two years ago and there is genuine hope that he will at least have learned from that experience.
Watson told Golf Digest in the wake of the USA's win in 2016 that he had been so focused on himself in the past, but the vice-captaincy had given him the chance to see the Ryder Cup from a different angle. His comments bode well because, at 39 years of age, time is running out for Watson to add a Ryder Cup victory as a player to his glittering CV. Forget the past, it will be his actions at Le Golf National from 28-30 September which will define how his Ryder Cup career is remembered.
That reaction at the end!
(📱 Insta: bubbawatson)
