The unwritten Criteria. Now everyone in the business and any other business that has to go through the RFP process knows that there is the Offical Evaluation Criteria and the "real" criteria we never are told about but is the one that chooses the winner.
Anyone care to take a stab at what they will publish vs what they will actually use?
As far as the 8, my guess is that they will try to have a geographically correct sample, meaning that :
the US will only get 1.
Europe has to get the same,
look for a token from Asia,
one from the Isles (England, Scotland, Ireland),
A Canuck,
an Aussie,
a Mexican and
a homeboy from SA rounding out the pack.
Now they may consider teams to cover multiple locals and allow a couple wild cards (choose from either the US, Africa, or the Isles).
Not wanting to expain who their choices are, they will pick the 8 with the name recognition because it really doesn't matter who 6 of the 8 are. They just have to maintain the appearance of being fair. Remember, in the final analysis it isn't about the course design. We here just think (or wish) it is
But in the end I say Jack or Player get's it. Probably Jack on the strength of # of Tournaments held on his courses.
Another reason why Chicago should have gotten the Bid, they already have several of tried and proven tracks.