Tiger: ''I'd like to congratulate Tom Watson on his selection as Ryder Cup captain"

From Doug Ferguson's AP story on Tom Watson's selection as Ryder Cup captain:

''I'd like to congratulate Tom Watson on his selection as Ryder Cup captain,'' Woods said in a statement. ''I think he's a really good choice. Tom knows what it takes to win, and that's our ultimate goal. I hope I have the privilege of joining him on the 2014 United States team.''

Update on 2012-12-13 16:21 by Geoff

**Bernard Gallacher, working out some of his stand-up material while talking to Sky Sports:

"I also think Watson is the perfect captain to get the best out of Tiger Woods, something we have not seen in Ryder Cups. Tiger only plays with Steve Stricker, but Tom will get him playing with other players ahead of 2014, plus, I think Tiger respects Tom for being very straightforward and criticising him when he spat and swore on the course."

Oh yes, he just loved it. Still does, to this day!

Larry Nelson "Disappointed" But He's Used To Being Snubbed By The PGA Of America

Ryan Lavner with the highlights of Larry Nelson's Morning Drive appearance to discuss the news of Tom Watson's appointment as the 2014 Ryder Cup captain.

“It’s tough because it’s kind of the third time this has happened,” Nelson said, referring to the ’95 and ’97 captaincies. “It seemed to gather more momentum this year than possibly in the past. I’m certainly appreciative of the thousands of people who tweeted or sent me emails who were hoping this might be the time.

“I’m flattered, certainly disappointed. I don’t know why the decision was made the way it was, but you just have to honor that.”

The video from Morning Drive:

Reminder: The (Moving?) Dinosaur Debuts At Aus PGA

I had no idea the dinosaurs at Clive Palmer's Coolum Resort move, but it seems from this News 10 footage that the "mechanical monstrosity" makes sounds too.

I think I'm getting a better feel for why the Australian PGA--locked out last weekend by the resort owner--is leaving after this week. Golf Channel has the feed starting at 9:00 ET.

Tom Watson And Tiger Woods: No Bromance Here

This will add to the team room fun should Tom Watson be named 2014 Ryder Cup Captain on Thursday, as Tim Rosaforte reports. Because, after all, Watson will likely helm a squad including Tiger Woods barring an unforseen, fall 2014 flare-up in his Achilles!

Just a reminder of the nice bond these two share:

February, 2010, Watson on Woods:

“I feel that he has not carried the same stature that other great players that have come along like Jack (Nicklaus), Arnold (Palmer), Byron Nelson, the Hogans, in the sense that there was language and club throwing on the golf course,” said Watson, a playoff loser to Stewart Cink at last year’s British Open.

 “You can grant that of a young person that has not been out here for a while. But I think he needs to clean up his act and show the respect for the game that other people before him have shown.”

At the 2010 U.S. Open when they shared the tenth tee together. Karen Crouse wrote:

As they waited to hit, neither Watson nor Woods exchanged glances, much less niceties, their cold shoulders turning the tee into an outdoor icebox. The distance between them was accentuated when the golfer Jason Gore made his way to the hole and received a warm hello and a hug from Woods who, like Watson, has won a United States Open here.

Standing between Woods and Watson like a buffer was another Stanford golfer, Joseph Bramlett, who was playing with his childhood idol, Woods, two days after going through graduation ceremonies. It was three generations of Cardinal golfing royalty sharing a moment that could have been captured only by the widest of wide-angle lenses.

July, 2010, Watson:

“His life is a lot more complicated now. He doesn’t hear
 that absolute silence when he’s playing, and he mentioned when 
he’s playing his best he hears nothing,” the American 
eight-times major winner told a news conference on Wednesday. “I’m sure there are things going on in his mind that make it 
very difficult for him.”

Yet it was Tiger who was the gentleman at the 2010 Open Championship, waving Watson's group up so that the legend could finish Friday evening in the late light.

This AP image by Alistair Grant is the only photo I can find of the two sharing the same general vicinity.

There's also the video where Watson's disdain for his fellow Stanford alum comes shining through.

New PGA President: Don't Mess With Amateur Distance!

Larry Fine on the PGA of America's outreach efforts and its new President, Ted Bishop, not supporting any kind of distance rollback that might impact the average player.

"If you do anything that's going to cause the rank and file amateur player to not hit the ball as far, there's no way you're going to enhance their enjoyment of the game," PGA President Ted Bishop told reporters on Tuesday.

And...

"I'm not so sure that's the greater issue we have to deal with," Bishop told Reuters. "This game is a hard game and anything we do to make the golf course play longer, play more difficult, is certainly going to deter from the enjoyment of the game for the average player."

Pssst....Ted, it's all taking longer and is more difficult because we're after this distance thing like a dog chasing its tail.

Bishop has already spoken out against the USGA/R&A ban on anchoring.