Wadkins Looks to Big Two to Step Up

The Ryder Cup, which once seemed to be the exclusive property of the U.S., has been in Europe’s possession since 1995, with the exception of a U.S. victory in 1999. Lanny Wadkins, who was the captain of the U.S. team that lost in 1995, said something has to give in the upcoming matches, next month at the K Club near Dublin, Ireland.

“I’ll tell you what’s got to happen, our big guys, Tiger and Phil, need to step up and win five points,” Wadkins said. “They need to dominate, it’s about time. That would change everything.”

Tiger Woods is 7-11-2 in Ryder Cup play and Phil Mickelson’s record is 9-8-3.

As for the chance that as many as four players with no Ryder Cup experience will make the U.S. team, Wadkins saw no problem with that.

“Having mostly veterans hasn’t worked, has it?” he said. “Besides, maybe the enthusiasm of the young guys will carry over.”

Tom Lehman, the U.S. captain, said Friday that the PGA of America is going to charter a jet from the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, Aug. 27, to take his players to the K Club for two days of practice. He said Woods and Mickelson told them they had previous commitments, but that they would try to work it out.

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The PGA Championship is the last chance for Ryder Cup points and to qualify for the team, so some scenarios have emerged for the minimum result necessary for those players who are not in the top 10. Brett Wetterich holds the 10th position, but he missed the cut Friday.

Stewart Cink, who is in 12th place in the Ryder Cup standings, needs to wind up ninth by himself at the PGA. The others are Jerry Kelly, 13th, who needs to finish in a two-way tie for eighth; Lucas Glover, 14th, eighth place alone; Davis Love III, 15th, also eighth place alone; and Tim Herron, 17th, a two-way tie for seventh.

Herron is tied for the lead after two rounds, and Love is one shot behind.

Wetterich is one of four American players currently in the top 10 who have no Ryder Cup experience. The others are Vaughn Taylor, J.J. Henry and Zach Johnson.

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Proving it’s not necessarily how you start, but how you finish, consider Daniel Chopra. He started his first round with a double bogey and a bogey, but managed to wind up with an even par 72. And after his five-under 67 Friday, Chopra is only three shots behind the leaders.

“I was wondering, am I going to break 80? Am I going to break 90?” he said. “I was proud of squeezing out an even par.”

Chopra, an alternate into the field, is a 32-year-old from Sweden who lives in Orlando. He has one top five in 24 PGA Tour events, a tie for fifth at Pebble Beach.

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Chris Riley’s 72 was six shots worse than his opening round, but he had his moments. He chipped in twice, at the 15th and the 16th. After missing the green at the 16th, Riley was upset, but knocked it in.

“Then on the 16th hole, I walked up there and told my caddie, ‘If I chip this in, I’m going to be embarrassed, and I chipped it in. And I was embarrassed.”

Riley said he is saving himself some putts.

“Well, if I can’t make the 12-footers, I might as well chip them in.”

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Prize money for the PGA will be a record $6.8 million, an increase of $300,000 over 2005.

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HOLE OF THE DAY: NO. 18

*--* * Yardage: 443. * Par: 4. * Stroke average: 4.1. * Rank: 4th.

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* Key fact: The leaderboard became crowded on the final hole when Henrik Stenson bogeyed to drop into a tie and Billy Andrade made birdie. Tiger Woods made an 18-foot putt on the hole to get to within one shot, and Phil Mickelson made his birdie putt to get to four shots back.

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Associated Press