Facts & figures on Ryder Cup Team USA
Here’s a quick glance at the 12 players representing Team USA in the 2012 Ryder Cup, with rankings and earnings through Sept. 23:
Tiger Woods
Born: 12-30-75
Residence: Jupiter, Fla.
Ryder Cup ranking: 1st
Ryder Cup record: 13-14-2
Career victories: 74
Career earnings: $100,950,700
World ranking: 2nd
2012 victories: Arnold Palmer Invitational, Memorial, AT&T National
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.
Bubba Watson
Born: 11-5-78
Residence: Scottsdale, Ariz.
Ryder Cup ranking: 2nd
Ryder Cup record: 1-3-0
Career victories: 4
Career earnings: $16,959,642
World ranking: 7th
2012 victories: Masters
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.
Jason Dufner
Born: 3-24-77
Residence: Auburn, Ala.
Ryder Cup ranking: 3rd
Ryder Cup record: Rookie
Career victories: 2
Career earnings: $12,446,009
World ranking: 9th
2012 victories: Zurich Classic, Byron Nelon Championship
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, but that will be tested in his first Ryder Cup. He can partner with anyone. The one area of his game that can’t afford to stay home is his putting.
Keegan Bradley
Born: 6-7-86
Residence: Jupitor, Fla.
Ryder Cup ranking: 4th
Ryder Cup record: rookie
Career victories: 3
Career earnings: $7,699,258
World ranking: 14th
2012 victories: Bridgestone Invitational
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 he is a gamer. He regularly plays money games with Phil Mickelson, and he showed plenty of fight when he hung in there 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 a good putter. He likely pair up with Mickelson at Medinah.
Webb Simpson
Born: 8-8-85
Residence: Charlotte, N.C.
Ryder Cup ranking: 5th
Ryder Cup record: Rookie
Career victories: 3
Career earnings: $12,045,207
World ranking: 8th
2012 victories: U.S. Open
2012 Majors: Masters-T44, US Open-1, British Open-DNP, PGA Championship-Cut
Backspin: Simpson’s swing insn’t beautiful, but it’s efficient and he gets the most out of his game every time. He teamed with Watson 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.
Zach Johnson
Born: 2-24-76
Residence: St. Simons Esland, GA
Ryder Cup ranking: 6th
Ryder Cup record: 3-3-1
Career victories: 9
Career earnings: $26,267,053
World ranking: 17th
2012 victories: Colonial, John Deere Classic
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 than most casual fans realize.
Matt Kuchar
Born: 6-21-78
Residence: Srea Island, GA.
Ryder Cup ranking: 7th
Ryder Cup record: 1-1-2
Career victories: 4
Career earnings: $20,799,219
World ranking: 15th
2012 victories: The Players Championship
2012 Majors: Masters-T3, US Open-T27, British Open-T9, PGA Championship-Cut
Backspin: He had a chance to win the Masters late on Sunday, and he won The Players Championship. Since then, however, Kuchar has been quiet, surprising for a guy whose hallmark is consistency. He teamed with Stewart Cink last time, and they didn’t lose any of their three matches. Ian Poulter drilled him in singles. Kuchar is most feared in the team room during table tennis competition.
Phil Mickelson
Born: 6-16-70
Residence: San Diego, CA.
Ryder Cup ranking: 8th
Ryder Cup record: 11-17-6
Career victories: 40
Career earnings: $67,644,698
World ranking: 16th
2012 victories: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am
2012 Majors:Masters-T3, US Open-T65, British Open-Cut, PGA Championship-T36
Backspin: The most experienced player on either side, Mickelson will set a U.S. record by playing in his ninth Ryder Cup, breaking the record he shared with Lanny Wadkins, Raymond Floyd and Billy Casper. However, he is two losses away from trying an American record for most matches lost. He has turned his game around in recent weeks and could hold the key to a U.S. win — if his putting carries him.
Steve Stricker
Born: 2-23-67
Residence: Madison, Wis.
Ryder Cup ranking: captain’s pick
Ryder Cup record: 3-3-1
Career victories: 12
Career earnings: $35,079,561
World ranking: 12th
2012 victories: Tournament of Champions
2012 Majors: Masters-T47, US Open-T15, British Open-T23, PGA Championship-T7
Backspin: He hasn’t won since the season opener at Kapalua, and Stricker struggled this summer with his putting. He was an obvious pick as a partner for Woods. And even when his putting is not good, it’s better than most everyone else. He considers Chicago a second home. As much attention as there will be on his putting, the key for Stricker is to have a good week with the driver.
Jim Furyk
Born: 5-12-70
Residence: Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Ryder Cup ranking: captain’s pick
Ryder Cup record: 8-15-4
Career victories: 16
Career earnings: $52,447,459
World ranking: 23rd
2012 victories: None
2012 Majors: Masters-11, US Open-T4, British Open-T34, PGA Championship-T42
Backspin: No captain’s pick will face as much scrutiny as Furyk. The only American on the team who has not won this year, two of his close calls are remembered for his failures on the 16th hole of the U.S. Open to fall out of the lead, and his double bogey at Firestone on 18 that cost him the win. He was picked because he plays tough, like in his a singles loss to Luke Donald that went 18 holes.
Dustin Johnson
Born: 6-22-84
Residence: Myrtle Beach, S.C.
Ryder Cup ranking: captain’s pick
Ryder Cup record: 1-3-0
Career victories: 6
Career earnings: $16,944,699
World ranking: 13th
2012 victories: St. Jude Classic
2012 Majors: Masters-DNP, US Open-Cut, British Open-T9, PGA Championship-T48
Backspin: He has been described as “awkward” when it comes to team competition. He was a bust with Phil Mickelson at Wales, and he didn’t fare much better with Tiger Woods at the Presidents Cup last year. Still, he is playing well going into this Ryder Cup, finishing no worse than sixth in the three playoff events. He is long, confident and likely will be a strong Ryder Cup contributor at some point.
Brandt Snedeker
Born: 12-8-80
Residence: Nashville, Tenn.
Ryder Cup ranking: captain’s pick
Ryder Cup record: Rookie
Career victories: 4
Career earnings: $16,098,223
World ranking: 10th
2012 victories: Farmers Insurance Open, TOUR Championship, FexExCup
2012 Majors: Masters-T19, US Open-DNP, British Open-T3, PGA Championship-Cut
Backspin: Snedeker played his way onto the team with his performance at two playoff events, and with a fine putting display at the British Open. He cemented, however, with his convincing TOUR Championship win over the weekend, which gave him the FedExCup as well. He plays quick, he talks faster, he is high energy. He doesn’t back down and even the putts he misses look like they’re going in.
Ÿ Doug Ferguson of The Associated Press and Mike Spellman contributed.