Tiger Woods set for Ryder Cup if fit

Omnisports Pulse

July 3, 2014 3:04 AM

United States captain Tom Watson will pick Tiger Woods for the Ryder Cup if the 14-time major winner is healthy and performing.

Woods struggled on his return from back surgery at the Quicken Loans National, missing the cut at the PGA Tour event he hosts.

Unlikely to qualify for September's Ryder Cup on points, Woods is still a certainty to be chosen with a captain's pick if fit and in form.

"I'll be watching Tiger as he plays. I've said it in front of the press, if he's playing well and he's healthy, he's on the team," Watson said on Wednesday.

"Right now he's way down for his points but who wouldn't pick Tiger Woods to be on their Ryder Cup team, that's my question to everybody. Who wouldn't pick him?"

Europe have won back-to-back Ryder Cups and five of the past six heading to the PGA Centenary Course at Gleneagles.

Watson is worried about the course in Scotland, believing his team are at a disadvantage having not competed there before.

"I think the Europeans have an advantage on this golf course," he said.

"It has hosted the Johnnie Walker Championship and other championships before and some of these European players have played that golf course in competition played it four, five or six times, maybe 12 times.

"I don't think anybody on our team has played that course once.

"That's an advantage, that's just the way the Europeans pick their Ryder Cup sites.

"Usually it's at a site where they've held a European Tour tournament so their players are more familiar with the golf course for the Ryder Cup. It makes sense."

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