Is Matt Kuchar the Lead American on the Ryder Cup Team?
by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 30, 2010 1:01 PM EDT
in Pro Golf
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Has it dawned on you yet that Matt Kuchar is leading the PGA Tour money list? With his second win in less than twelve months and a 2010 season filled with top ten finishes, the former Georgia Tech standout also has found his way into the top ten of the Official World Golf Rankings for the first time. These all sound pretty surreal, right?
Sure, Kuchar was helped by Martin Laird's even par round and collosal three putt from inside twenty-five feet on the final hole. But more importantly, Kuchar played with conviction and guts to take his third PGA Tour win. To play a run-up shot on the first playoff hole exhibited a kind of true courage that is often confused for the unbridled - yet still rewarded thanks to setups and equipment rules - aggression of the slightly younger set of Kuchar's peers.
Kuchar really is a throwback. His swing is flat. He smiles all the time in a way reminiscent of grandparent imagery. If I didn't know any better, I'd think Kuchar was somehow related to Steve Stricker - with less crying, of course.
All of a sudden, Matt Kuchar could be the star of the American Ryder Cup team. Dustin Johnson may be a zombie, shedding Jobian golf anguish on seemingly a weekly basis, but Kuchar is the quiet champion of the Celtic Manor-bound squad. Tiger Woods is showing signs of improvement but is mentally stuck as much as he complains of getting mechanically stuck. Phil Mickelson has arthritis, which may or may not be hurting his game, but he is a headcase about becoming number one. And Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker - molds from which Kuchar is clearly cut - have had good years, but kind of come and go.
Unfortunately for Kuchar, consistency dosen't win in the Ryder Cup, though. Aggression, timing, and putting do. Fortunately, he exhibited all three of those on Sunday's first and only playoff hole.
Kuchar, now 32 and change, has waited patiently for his time to shine. He has worked hard and toiled long. In one of the most bizarre PGA Tour seasons in memory, the long determination to be great & be good could pay off.
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He's a lovely young man
and is finally getting the results he justly deserves. Not sure he’ll shine in RC format as a rookie – I mean he’s not in the mould of AK who thrived on matchplay, but I for one certainly hope he does himself and his team proud.
BIG difference in being a statistical leader and a Team leader. Kuch is having a great season – didn’t realize he had jumped to #1 on the money list. Did know that he has more top 10’s than anyone on Tour this year. Pretty steady. (Georgia boys seem to like the first FEC playoff stop – last year it was Heath Slocum, Atlanta resident, and now Kuch – former Ga Tech standout) :-D
Dustin Johnson may be a ZOMBIE ?? Are you kidding ? Nothing keeps the guy down. Blew two majors this year and still comes back with good performances. That could come in handy in match play.
Statistical leaders aren’t stars in the Ryder Cup – except in the team win column. Kuchar is a rookie who will be earning his stripes – not going in as a team leader or star. You seem to forget that Mickelson and possibly that Woods guy are the headliners.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
That’s what I mean by zombie – you can’t keep the guy down, he just keeps coming back for more. (Wins! Wins!)
Find me! Email: ryan@thegolfnewsnet.com, Twitter: http://twitter.com/waggleroom, or Facebook: http://facebook.com/waggleroom.
by Ryan Ballengee on Aug 30, 2010 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions
Well I read it the way RB intended it.
Why would he do a put-down of Dustin Johnson? Slow down on the reading, CG!
You mean you went back and RE-read it when you could plug in the definition of Zombie he’s claiming now ? I still ask the question – who in the world thinks of a zombie as “someone you just can’t keep down”…especially when the zombies always get shot in the head and don’t get back up ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Zombies are so slow-moving anyway. They might be able to
play through Ben Crane, but that’s about it.
No, CG - I read it a couple of times - true
to make sure I understood what he was saying – can zombies be killed?
Time for a trip to the movie store, Wendy – any zombie movie – shoot them in the head, an ax to the head, cut the head off – they die.
Never seems to be an end to making MORE zombies – but the same ones don’t keep coming back – the chemically created zombies, disease created zombies, the voodoo created zombies….
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
lol – and don’t forget…
Ingredients
2 ounces light rum
2 ounces gold rum
2 ounces dark rum
1 ounce apricot brandy
1/2 ounce lime juice
1 ounce orange juice
2 ounces pineapple juice
Dash of grenadine
1/2 of 151-proof Demerara rum
Slice of orange
Slice of lemon
Sprig of fresh mint
2 cherries (1 red, 1 green)
Shake the ingredients except the Demerara rum in a mixing glass with ice. Pour into a large glass and float the Demerara rum onto the surface by pouring over the back of a teaspoon. Garnish with fruit, sprig of mint, and cherries.
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
I just hope the Zombies don't cut any more albums.
It’s just not the time of the season.
Ah Matt!
I’m not sure I see Kuch as a “leader” per se, but I see him having an awesome Ryder Cup. He’s pumped for it, and depending on the pairings I think he’ll be earning some points for the USA!
I am all over a Stricker-Kuchar pairing (my 2 fave players!), but how about Dustin and Kuchar? I like that!
I gave Matt a standing ovation in my living room yesterday – he was SO due for a win…Laird may have stumbled back, but Kuchar earned it in the playoff.
I write about golf at www.tees2greens.com, too.
I thought of you yesterday!
Fellow Matt Fan!
I watched his press conference on www.pgatour.com after the win, too – there is just so much to like about him!! Does he have a chance for Player of the Year?? I’m thinking yes! :-)
I write about golf at www.tees2greens.com, too.
POY - wide open
Feel if it’s not virtually 100% clear, then it should be held in abeyance for the year. Ditto for come-back player of the year.
Except for most of the Tiger Woods years, POY is almost always up in the air. It’s going to be tough this year – even if you just like Justin Rose and Matt Kuchar.
I think the rules for comeback player say that if it’s not clear, they just give it to Steve Stricker :-D
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
Wendy, it's not to early for you
to get some Windex (that’s a glass cleaner her in the colonies) and clean your crystal ball, put on that pointed hat with the moon symbols on it and have a go at POL…Red Tees was almost begging you to do it…..jist sayin….STUB
"When shall we three meet again,
When the hurly-burly’s done,
when the battle’s lost and won."
Cackle, cackle.
They're showing Donovan on "Who do you think you are?"
right now. Oh wait, that’s Jason. Never mind.
Areosmith
Had a Hurdy Gurdy mention in, “Same Ole Song and Dance”
Would make for a good Golf Channel Theme Song, me thinks
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
Aggression, Timing, Putting on 1st Playoff Hole?!
I hadn’t thought about this before. Nice take, Ryan. I wouldn’t necessarily say that Kuch “exhibited aggression, timing, and putting” in the playoff. If anything a low, runner is the most conservative shot one can hit. The putt was two feet, max. Dead flat and straight, as well. Let’s just keep it at “timing”. Kuch’s entire career has been as much about timing as anything else. Well done, my friend. Kuch will value his experience on the Ryder Cup more than anyone. I think fans will be shocked to see that smile turn into a snarl. He’s got much more heart than you’d think. Just watch. Congrats KUCH!
I’d love to know how “aggressive” that actually was. Did he call the shot or did it just work out that way ?
"this ball will fit in that fairway"
In the post tournament press conference Kuchar said he knew he had a shot similar to what Laird in regulation. He said the ball was sitting down enough that he could go after it. He never said aggressive (from what I can remember), but I think he executed the shot as planned.
I write about golf at www.tees2greens.com, too.
johnraser I agree
I think it’s high time people like The Golf Channel start focusing on the likes of Players such as Kuchar. Kuch will do well in the Ryder Cup.
"pain is only weakness leaving the body"
Winning tournaments always helps
garner the attention of the media.
by TwoNuse on Aug 30, 2010 9:37 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
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