Is Ryder Cup Team a Cut Below?

Is this any way to make up a Ryder Cup team?

Three players who would be Ryder Cup rookies -- Vaughan Taylor, Zach Johnson and Brett Wetterich -- all missed the cut at the PGA Championship but still held on to spots on the U.S. team.

That’s because nobody made a charge to replace them. All three were vulnerable, because Taylor was seventh in the points standings, Johnson ninth and Wetterich 10th.

Davis Love III, who needed an eighth-place finish to make the team on points, shot 73-76 over the weekend, tied for 34th, finished with three consecutive bogeys and may no longer impress Tom Lehman enough to make him a captain’s pick.

“I don’t know what he should do really,” Love said. “He doesn’t really have anybody from [No.] 10 down that’s playing that well.

“He’s in a tough position. I didn’t really show him much, and I don’t think anybody else did either.”

Stewart Cink, who began the week 12th on the points list, closed with a 69 but tied for 24th and gained no points. Only top-10 finishes earn points. Cink may have gained in Lehman’s estimation as a potential captain’s pick, as might Steve Stricker, whose 72-67-70-69 was worth a tie for seventh.

Tim Herron, who shared the 36-hole lead, shot 38 on the back nine Sunday, wound up with a 73 and was 14th.

Cink said he hoped to be a captain’s pick when Lehman’s choices are revealed today.

“It would mean a lot,” he said. “It would definitely be the satisfaction of a huge goal of mine to make the team this year, because of the fact that I’ve played on four of the last five teams, international competition, and I really don’t want to miss any.”

Cink was a captain’s pick by Hal Sutton on the 2004 U.S. team that had the worst loss in Ryder Cup history. He isn’t sure his previous selection will benefit him.

“Well, I got picked last time and we lost by one of the heaviest margins ever, so I don’t think that helps” he said. “Not that it was all my fault.”

Love, who has played on every Ryder Cup team since 1993, didn’t sound as if he would be expecting a nod from Lehman.

“Well, it would be seven Ryder Cups and 13 teams in a row,” he said. “Maybe that’s enough. Like I said, I need to just put all this behind me.”

The Ryder Cup will be played Sept. 22-24 at the K Club in Kildare, Ireland.