A letter to US Captain Corey Pavin

Dear Corey As you prepare to lead the US Ryder Cup team against the European team in Wales, I thought you could use a few words of encouragement and strategy. Your team is the underdog, and rightfully so, since you are playing a good team on the road, and the last time an American team won in Europe was the 93' team at the Belfrey, where you were one of the standout American players. The challenge you and your team face this week, provides you with great opportunity, a win in Wales would make you the most successful Ryder Cup captain in twenty years, and cement your legacy in the game. I hope you can use the next couple of paragraphs as a road map to keeping the cup. Share your Ryder Cup experiences with your team, you went 2-1 overall while playing in the 91, 93, and 95 cups and have a career 8-5 record. Show this team why you got the nickname "Bulldog" and remember that this competition will only be meaningful for the players if they can see what it means to their captain. Maybe, most importantly, during your cups you played in every format with multiple partners, everyone from Steve Pate to Phil Mickelson, and that type of versatility should be a point of emphasis for this year's team. A team that doesn't have any go-to teams prior to the competition. Stay above the fray, that incident with Jim Gray was concerning, and seemed totally out of character for you. Don't let the pressure or the media get to you. Allow European captain Colin Montgomerie, with his outspoken nature and Ashton Kutcher like marriage problems, to dominate the press and media attention. Be yourself and your team will follow your example, this should allow your team's fate to be determined on the course. On the course, allow Phil Mickelson to be the leader of your team; he is capable of carrying the team with his play and is the guy on the team that the other players respect and genuinely like. You have the best player in the world right now, in Dustin Johnson, he has to be a guy who plays in every session and use him like a number 1 starting pitcher in the postseason. Matt Kuchar has played consistent high-level golf on tour this year and he should be a mainstay, along with Hunter Mahan, who has top flight talent and good vibes from his play during the 08' cup win. I bet you are going to feel like you are staring in the mirror the more time you spend around Zack Johnson. His improved play the last couple of months bode well for a guy who looks like a team leader. Leave the ball in Tiger's court, if he embraces being a veteran leader and a team player then this could be the first Ryder Cup he plays well in, and might be the spark he needs to turn his career around. If Tiger is his usual moody and arrogant self, then you need to bench him, and go with the guys who want to be there. This team can't revolve around him as previous Ryder Cups have proven. Tiger's face and body language on course are easier to read than a David Nicholls novel. You will know where his head is and you know from experience that nothing is worse in team golf than a partner who is worried about where his left arm is at impact, and if his head is moving on the downswing. Stricker and Furyk are your veteran presences and are the natural pairings for Tiger. They should also be great insights to where the team is during the competition, almost like assistant captains. Remember this is a long format and 36 holes a day is tough enough for the young guys, so make sure Furyk and Stricker are fresh for Sunday, when they will be needed the most. See what you have in Watson, Overton, and Fowler, all are capable of getting hot and dominating stretches. Play them early and ride each or all of them depending on their play. Expect at least one of these guys to break out and be a star of this cup, with the early money on Fowler, then Watson. Cink was a defensible captain's pick at the time due to the lack of other options, and you would have needed a crystal ball to predict Charlie Hoffman's breakout Fed Ex cup. You have enough veterans and Cink needs to be a one session player; now that you banned twittering during the competition he should have plenty of time to work on his game at the range in anticipation of Sunday singles. This is a great opportunity and though you and your team are underdogs, you don't need a Buster Douglas type upset. European captain Monty will be under enormous pressure and a loss as a captain does a lot to tarnish a successful record as a player, as Monty found out two years ago when Faldo lost as Euro captain. Monty also did you a huge favor with two of his three captain's picks. Paddy Harrington and Eddie Molinari had to be music to your ears, considering that Paul Casey and Justin Rose were available. It also helps that Europe's best player, Lee Westwood, has been injured, and Friday will be his first competitive action in almost two months. Europe will also be counting heavily on rookies and though talented, none of your players should be worried about matching up with Martin Kaymer, Ross Fisher, or Rory McIlroy. Nothing would put more pressure on the Europeans than a couple early Friday victories, especially if the losing teams have some combination of Westwood/Poulter/Donald/McDowell. You are the right man, for the right job, at the right time, now all you have to do is put it together, and come back from rain soaked Wales coast with the cup, Good Luck!