Opinion & Analysis
Bubba Watson deserves to be on the 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup team
With only a few days remaining until Davis Love III makes his final captain’s pick for the 2016 U.S. Ryder Cup team, speculation is rife as to who the lucky man will be. The surprising omission from Love’s first three captains picks was Bubba Watson, who now faces a long sweat until Sunday after the conclusion of the Tour Championship to find out his fate.
Surprised as many golf fans were with Bubba’s exclusion from the original three captains picks, I would be stunned if Love decides to look elsewhere for his final U.S. team member. For starters, Bubba Watson is the No. 7-ranked golfer in the Official World Golf Rankings, and there are only two higher-ranked players on the U.S. team: Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth. Watson is also a two-time major champion and a consistent winner on the PGA Tour, with at least one victory in 6 of his last 7 seasons.
To leave a player of Bubba Watson’s caliber off the team you would need a better alternative, but a better alternative just isn’t there. Among the names being touted as possible choices for Love’s final pick are Jim Furyk, Justin Thomas, Ryan Moore and Daniel Berger. Watson is not only more decorated than them all, but he ranked higher in Ryder Cup points, missing automatic qualifying for the team by just one spot.
The bookmakers currently have Watson as the favorite to get the call from Captain Love, with Furyk as the second choice. If it is to come down to a choice between the two, then it’s Bubba who holds all the aces.
Earlier this month Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee championed Furyk for a spot on the U.S. team while stating he hopes Bubba is left out, but there is simply far more upside in doing the opposite. The fact of the matter is Furyk has an excessive amount of mental baggage if he were to tee it up in this year’s Ryder Cup. Along with having one of the all-time worst Ryder Cup records of 10-20-4 (W-L-H), he suffered an incredulous collapse the last time the Ryder Cup was staged in the U.S., blowing a one-shot lead with two holes to go on Sunday when the American side needed him most.
While Bubba Watson’s Ryder Cup record is very poor in itself (3-8-0), he doesn’t have the mental scars Furyk possesses. It’s also worth noting that Hazeltine is a long course, measuring more than 7,600 yards. To put that into perspective, Hazeltine will be playing 200 yards longer than Augusta National did this year for the Masters, and I don’t think I need to remind you that Bubba has won there twice. Furyk is known as one of the shortest hitters on Tour, while Watson is ranked 4th in driving distance for the season, averaging 310 yards off the tee.
Any worries about Bubba missing the cut at Hazeltine by a stroke when the 2009 PGA Championship was held there can be quashed. His year-end ranking in 2009 was 97th. He possesses so many more weapons to attack Hazeltine this time around.
Bubba also plays his best golf on home soil. The British Open is the only major in which the American has never even managed a top-20 finish, and his only official victory outside the U.S. to date came at the WGC-HSBC in China two years ago. He plays on enthusiasm and momentum, and a raucous American Ryder Cup crowd is just the ticket Bubba needs in order to play his best golf. He performed well at his only previous Ryder Cup appearance on home soil, posting a 2-2 record in 2012 where he famously demanded the crowd to turn up the volume on his opening tee shot on Saturday morning at Medinah.
The rumor mill has been spinning that it is Watson’s incompatible personality that prevented Love from choosing him among his initial three captains picks, but this week Brandt Snedeker, who qualified automatically for the U.S. team, said that these rumors were “false narrative” and that he is “probably one of the best teammates you could possibly have.”
If picked, Bubba will bring the heat, and with his length on this massive golf course — combined with a boisterous U.S. crowd baying for long awaited revenge — don’t be surprised if it’s the man with the pink driver who puts the charge into this American side.
Aronimink is not a storied club, but when Donald Ross himself proclaimed it to be as good as he can design and build, one had to take notice. Jay Sigel was the pre-eminent male amateur golfer from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He might have called any number of Philadelphia clubs home, but he chose Aronimink. It served him well. Gary Player won a PGA Championship here in 1962, and was followed by the 1993 winner … nobody. Aronimink gave that event away to Inverness, for reasons of which it is certainly not proud. So be it. We had to wait sixty-four years for the PGA to return to Newtown Square, but here we are. Aronimink has been neo-restored by Gil Hanse and team, to return Ross features with an eye toward defense against the dark arts, errrr, high-tech equipment.
Day one saw Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau dig big holes, to the tune of plus-four and plus-six, respectively. Since the first-round lead will be minus-three at worst, many shots will need to be made up for the power couple to reach contention. By nightfall, seven golfers held the day-one lead at three-under par 67. Shots and sticks caught our attention, and we are proud to present Five Things We Learned on Tech Thursday at the 2026 PGA Championship. Thanks to InsideTourGolfer, Today’s Golfer, and GolfWRX for initial equipment research.
First, meet Min Woo Lee
Min Woo Lee, aka Dr. Chipinski, has once again thrust himself into the conversation of Can he, will he, when will he? Lee has so much talent, wins not nearly as often as we believe that he should, and has no major near-misses (much less titles) on his wiki. The young Aussie is getting older and wiser, but is he able to avoid the scarring that holds the older and wiser back from breaking through? Philadelphia offers another opportunity. Min Woo signed for five birdies and two bogeys on day one, and grabbed a share of the opening-day lead at Aronimink. Winners transcend history and the moment, and Lee will need that sort of ascent to lift the Wannamaker on Sunday.
Second, meet Aldrich Potgeiter
The young South African golfer can rip driver with the best of them. Aronimink tips out at nearly 7400 yards, but beyond the fairway bunkers that ensnare only the mortals, Potgeiter can take his chances with wedge from the rough. On Thursday, he spent plenty of time in the spinach. Like Popeye, he used his muscles to gouge and thrash and dig his way out. Six birdies against three bogeys on the card brought AP in a three deep.
Third, meet Martin Kaymer
Not a major event takes place without a where’s he been throwback moment. We know that Martin Kaymer left the PGA and DP World tours for LIV golf, but the two-time (US Open and PGA) major winner has a lifetime exemption into at least one major event, and he seizes the opportunity each May. Kaymer joined the six-seven brigade with four birdies and a solitary bogey on day one. Kaymer was never a long hitter, and the years are kind to no golfer. The German champion will need to uncork every bottle of guile and strategy in his cabinet to remain in contention. For today, though, he occupies a rung on the ladder of Tour Tech.
Fourth, meet Scottie Scheffler
Let’s see, he’s the defending champion at the PGA, and he found his way back to the top tier with five birdies against two bogeys. To be a favorite and then play up to that stature and expectation is quite difficult. Just ask Rory, Bryson, and some of the other pre-tournament heartthrobs. Scheffler’s game is complete, and to knock him off the OWGR #1 pedestal, one needs to defeat him at the majors. Aronimink is the sort of course that fits Scheffler’s game. Better yet, it unfits the game of many of his challengers. Don’t expect Scheffler to go away anytime soon. Come Sunday, he’ll be around.
Fifth, meet Stephan Jaeger
Clocking in for the unheralded players shift are Ryo Hisatsune and Stephan Jaeger. Hisatsune logged seven birdies on day one, but gave most of them back with four bogeys. Still, he’s tied at the top for a time. Jaeger pitched five birdies against two bogeys, including a run of three consecutive, from holes four through six. Odds are that one of the two will hang around through 36 holes. Odds also suggest that both will be gone by Saturday evening. Still, the PGA Championship has historically been the major most likely to be won by an under-known. Both Hisatsune and Jaeger feature on that list, so good luck, lads!
On this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, I head to the Titleist Performance Institute for a full driver fitting with the new Titleist GTS lineup. We dive into the fitting process, talk about what made the biggest difference in performance, and break down how the different GTS heads and shaft combinations compare on the launch monitor. If you are thinking about a new driver setup for this season, there is a lot to take away from this one.
I also get into Brooks Koepka and the gear setup he brought to the PGA Championship, including the putters that caught my eye during the week. There are some interesting equipment trends showing up at the highest level right now and we break down what stands out.
To wrap things up, I talk about reshafting a few wedges, what I learned during the process, and swapping an adaptor onto a new shaft for another build project in the shop. A gear packed episode from start to finish for anyone who loves golf equipment and club building.
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Excited for this week’s WITB as we get to add the new Titleist GTS woods to the bag! I was fit at Titleist’s TPI facility in Oceanside California a few weeks ago and my new clubs just showed up. I am also adding a cool set of irons that I built last year some wild custom wedges into a new golf bag. Speaking of the bag I have a new Ghost Anyday Black Ops stand bag that I will be using on my Motocaddy Remote M7 electric cart.
Driver: Titleist GTS3 (11 degrees @ 10.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 6s
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD CQ-7s
5-wood: Titleist GTS (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s
9-wood: Titleist GT1 (24 degress)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s
Irons: Bettinardi CB24 (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper Lite 110 stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (50-09 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (56-12 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (60-08 LB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Putter: Dan Carraher ZT Proto
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour
Bag: Ghost Anyday Black Ops Stand Bag
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Driver: Titleist GT3 (9 degrees) Buy here. Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 130 M.S.I. 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)...
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Driver: TaylorMade M6 (9 degrees) Shaft: Aldilda Synergy Blue 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue...
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Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black VeloCore+ 5 X 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees @14.25) Shaft: Mitsubishi...
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Driver: Krank Formula Fire Pro (6 degrees) Shaft: Project X Prototype 3-wood: Krank Formula Fire (10 degrees) Shaft: LA Golf BAD...
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Ba Ba Blome
Oct 21, 2016 at 6:54 pm
Blubba is a piece of garbage and I enjoyed not having to hear him cry about bad lies all week. The only dumb thing DL3 did was invite him to be a co-captain.
Mark
Sep 26, 2016 at 2:43 am
Ryan Moore come on down. Bubba enjoy the TV coverage.
Geno4952
Sep 24, 2016 at 2:20 pm
When was the last time Bubba shot 58??? Furyk has been hot as of late. Could be a good pick… has experience as well….
Forsbrand
Sep 25, 2016 at 12:37 pm
Why didn’t captain love pick him instead of that puppet kuchar or JB Holmes then?
JR
Sep 24, 2016 at 10:17 am
No way does Bubba “deserve” to be on the team! Look how he is playing right now!! The definition of stupid is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result!! Having Bubba on the team is just that!!
vkw143
Sep 25, 2016 at 3:28 pm
It looks to me like Bubba is ahead of everybody else ON the team at East Lake except DJ. May not end that way but that’s how I see the leaderboard. Just saying!
JThunder
Sep 24, 2016 at 6:16 am
You’re all almost as good at armchair Ryder Cup Captaincy as you are at armchair CEOship.
KK
Sep 24, 2016 at 3:56 am
People who use the word “deserve” with any serious intent are the tip of the entitlement plague upon humanity. Your parents should be ashamed.
alan
Sep 23, 2016 at 8:55 pm
dude doesnt even have a chin.
Hans
Sep 23, 2016 at 8:38 pm
I like Bubba, would be a good pick (as would others).
But only 8 guys “deserved” to get picked and those are the 8 that qualified on points.
LAbillyboy
Sep 23, 2016 at 8:30 pm
Picking players for match play based on their medal play records is like picking Rugby players by how well they play soccer….
Frank McChrystal
Sep 23, 2016 at 4:30 pm
Hey Bubba, good for you, don’t ever kiss any gluteus maximus.
Colin
Sep 23, 2016 at 3:54 pm
yea he really deserves it with his stellar 1-3-0 Record. Give me a break.
Golfer
Sep 23, 2016 at 7:59 pm
he has a better record than Rickie and they chose Rickie…
Forsbrand
Sep 25, 2016 at 12:39 pm
Rickie looks great in orange though and is more of a crowd favourite………..the ryder cup has gone too corporate in the last fifteen years.
KJ
Sep 23, 2016 at 3:16 pm
The final pick being left until 5 days before the tourney starts is a mistake. Pick your 4 players all at the same time. Give them all time to get their mental state aligned. I personally cant stand Bubba and his act. I hope the pick goes to Thomas personally. Good buddies with Fowler and Speith.
Warwick
Sep 26, 2016 at 6:10 am
Well put. The Americans need to find some of that team spirit that the Euros have. Ryan is a good choice.
Mark
Sep 23, 2016 at 2:03 pm
Oh yes….discord in the US and the match doesn’t start for a week. Flowers will spend most of his time preening, Tiger will be weighing up the PR girls and Europe will get on with the job and beat you.
Jim
Sep 23, 2016 at 1:07 pm
Hopefully he doesn’t get selected or the task force is a complete joke. They were supposed to pick players that were hot at the moment to take advantage of their good play, but both Rickie and Bubba aren’t playing well and haven’t played well in months. Bubba can’t make a putt and under pressure he’s awful with short putts too. They need to select those who are playing well, such as Ryan Moore or someone similar. Let’s hope they select someone that is playing well right now as there are several already on the team who aren’t.
Mr. Weddge
Sep 23, 2016 at 12:57 pm
It’s like in ice hockey playoffs, you play the goaltender who’s been hot, not necessarily the starter or based on all time records. Ending up with the top 12 in points just proves how pointless the whole “captain’s pick” has become
mka
Sep 23, 2016 at 12:43 pm
This Task Force has not made me a fan of Davis Love…and the process he is using isn’t fair to any player he will select. Waiting this long to select the last player is not going to win friends and instill confidence in the player! What a stupid process this Task Force came up with….or was it Love’s decision????????
Forsbrand
Sep 24, 2016 at 5:19 pm
Bubba needs to be picked for sure, JB Holmes? If kev chapell wins this week he should be playing.
Davis love worse captain ever doesn’t do you guys any justice, and now picking woods as a vice captain, Jesus it gets worse
vkw143
Sep 25, 2016 at 3:36 pm
Chappell and Moore would both be good picks to replace some who are already on the team.
Getair
Sep 23, 2016 at 12:06 pm
If the players liked him he would have already been named to the team.
Emb
Sep 23, 2016 at 11:10 am
If Davis takes bubba, which it looks like he will, that will be the top 12 players in the RC standings on the team…wow those are some crazy moves by the “task force”. Way to go out on a limb there. RC has become an old boys clubs on the American side and that’s why they lose every year, give someone else a chance to be that firecracker that ignites the team ala Anthony Kim 2008
JThunder
Sep 24, 2016 at 6:12 am
I agree, the US will definitely NOT win the Ryder Cup next year.
Of course, neither will Europe, since it’s played every TWO years.
The US didn’t win it last year – because it wasn’t played last year.
Apart from that, great comment.
Geno4952
Sep 24, 2016 at 2:16 pm
Except it is played every other year Smizzle….oops!!!
Grizz01
Sep 23, 2016 at 11:01 am
Fowler was a bad enough choice. The idea of the captain’s picks is not to pick someone popular, but someone who has gotten hot over the last 3-4 months. Before August hit I thought, this will be like times of old. Look at what is there compared to the Euro’s. It should be a cake walk for USA. But no… let’s make it as tight as possible with poor picks.
We lose this year… this is all on Loves Head.
Then bring back Azinger as Captain. He at least knew how to take a bunch of guys and know how to WIN.
david
Sep 23, 2016 at 10:29 am
He should pick Daniel Berger. Dad was a low-talent/high-success tennis player and that kind of fighter mentality has clearly been instilled in the son. Wish they had more match play events.
joro
Sep 23, 2016 at 9:55 am
What a show this is turning into and if anyone is a jerk it is Love. What is this about holding the last pick out and announcing it during the Half time on Sunday Night Foobaw. I mean come on, this is turning into something like the opining of the Sound of Music or the like, real Showbiz. Hard to believe that someone like Davis is playing this game. I feel it has been done already and they are going for the hutzpah.
There are too many negatives about this to have not been done already, the pick that is. Travel, Hotel arrangements, uniforms, family and friends, there is a lot that makes it hard to believe this is coming down to Sunday before the pick is made.
And Bubba, 7th in the World would be a great pick. To those who put him down PPPHHHHTTTTTT.
Bill
Sep 23, 2016 at 11:56 am
Not sure that was Love’s idea. Sounds like a PGA/TV network set up to me.
JB
Sep 23, 2016 at 12:09 pm
Wow – 7th in the world but still cant qualify on points?? What was his highest ranking when he was accumulating his stellar RC record of 3-8???
Somehow all of that doesn’t sound very “deserving”
Scooter McGavin
Sep 23, 2016 at 9:50 am
So you use Furyk’s Ryder Cup record as an argument against him, while Bubba’s record is even worse? Also, Ryan Moore has 8 top 10 finishes over the last year to Bubba’s 3. It’s not about who has the most career wins or majors, it’s about who’s playing well right now and Bubba also missed the cut at the Deutsche Bank which doesn’t look good. Oh yeah, and as already mentioned by others, he’s a giant baby with a lousy attitude. I couldn’t blame anyone for not wanting to spend a week or more with him.
Dolph Lundgrenade
Sep 23, 2016 at 9:45 am
To the author of this article, c’mon dude. Sensationalist nonsense. Stick to your poetry.
Bubba is disliked by almost all players on tour. Voted least liked to play with and least likely to even help in a parking lot mugging. That’s practically hate.
Besides, he cries. Here’s a crier. Top button user. Sinister or goofy footed to the layman. He’s got a pink driver… Still. Match play record stinks. I’m pretty sure I hate him as well.
Get a gritty match play player. Tour stats and standings shouldn’t be the deciding factor. That’s why they are captain’s picks. If Watson or Furyk are picked, it was there PGA of America going for publicity and bullpucky.
Flip
Sep 23, 2016 at 9:34 am
He is a jerk and out of touch with reality…… do not let him on the team…… and that no personality fury? Please no
pooch
Sep 23, 2016 at 9:08 am
Bubba has already been picked based on the fact he is the cover boy for Golf Magazine wearing a USA shirt. It is a fix.
overlaper
Sep 23, 2016 at 8:52 am
I agree with ” ooffa ” — we don’t need another ” entitled brat ” — give me someone who’s excited and appreciates the chance to represent their country.
overlaper
Sep 23, 2016 at 8:48 am
I agree with ” ooffa ” — who needs another entitled brat — give me someone who’s excited and appreciates an opportunity to represent and participate their country ! ! !
Scott
Sep 23, 2016 at 8:42 am
ANYONE other than Jim Furyk.
Jim
Sep 23, 2016 at 6:16 pm
….or Wood’s record – for that matter –
wuss
Sep 23, 2016 at 8:38 am
Gee, i’d leave him off the team too if he buttons his shirt to the top…..much more important than golf skills.
Jack Nash
Sep 23, 2016 at 9:58 am
The buttons are there for a reason. When he starts to choke he undoes them one at a time until he’s comfortable.
vkw143
Sep 23, 2016 at 8:35 am
I’m somewhat amazed with some of the comments about Bubba. He is a bit of an introvert but he is fun to play golf with. He does become disappointed like all of us when he doesn’t play his best. I have had the opportunity to play several rounds with him this year (fourball format) and you want this guy on your team. He may not always say what is politically correct but he plays with heart, talent and loves representing his country – he IS one of the top 7 players in the world. Come on, Davis, be smart.
Terryd
Sep 23, 2016 at 6:27 pm
Introvert? I think you need to look up the meaning of that word.
Clay
Sep 23, 2016 at 8:33 am
The Ryder cup is about winning. Stats are on watson’s side and to falsely label him as a “distraction”? Come on!, JWTF does that mean??
ooffa
Sep 23, 2016 at 7:40 am
He needs to be left off the team. He is a distraction to all he is around. He has a poor record of Ryder cup play. He is a self centered, egotist that is unable to understand the concept of team. Plus he treats everybody he comes in contact with, players, fans, sponsors, and the media like crap. Who needs him around? Certainly not the US team given the huge selection of players available to us. And worst of all, he buttons his shirt up to the very top. OMG who does that? He needs to watch the Ryder cup from home.