Nick Faldo clearly doesn’t want anyone on the European Ryder Cup team who reminds anyone that Faldo’s getting old himself. Faldo is a very hip 50 after all. So, thanks but no thanks Darren Clarke, the Rod Stewart look will not be needed.

Still, Faldo made a big blunder in searching for young players that almost everyone hates, guys in his own playing days’ image. Sure, Faldo found two in Ian Poulter and Paul “I properly hate” Casey, but he also picked up the European version of a whiny, wimpy American. In fact, Poulter does this song and whine even better than almost anyone that U.S. captain Paul Azinger is going to be stuck with - outside of Kenny Perry, the ultimate baby fat cat American golfer.

By putting the pressure-allergic Poulter on his squad, you have to wonder if Faldo’s not trying to make things more interesting in Kentucky. Giving the U.S. a chance - or at least fooling enough people to watch longer on TV - seems to be the only strategic advantage to adding the one who wears hideous pants. Unless Sergio Garcia is going to break out that all canary outfit from his British Open bomb vs. Tiger again and team up with Poulter in a pairing designed to blind Phil Mickelson.

Poulter is one of the biggest babies in golf. He couldn’t stop complaining about the tough position the press put him in after he went off on his tirade about being No. 2 in the world to Tiger (in his own mind). This weekend Poulter’s at it again, moaning about the reports that Faldo already gave him the nod he’d be on the team before he ever arrived in Boston (reports that this selection after Poulter’s sickly missed cut doesn’t exactly refute).

Why is Ian Poulter on the team? Apparently because he played well down the stretch in the British Open when he really didn’t have a chance to win - and mostly because he text messaged Nick Faldo a lot.

Great pick. Of course, the U.S. squad will be so overall wimpy that Poulter probably won’t be able to swing the balance by himself. He’ll do his best though. Just wait and listen for the whine.

Permalink 11 comments