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[John_McMillan]

In his interview after the US victory, Paul Azinger suggested that he had a "secret strategy" this week, which he may disclose at some time.  (You'd think that Roberts would have taken at least one bite at that apple). 

Anyone want to speculate on what Azinger's secret was this week?

[Jerry Kessler]

Having Tiger fake a knee injury to involve the whole team.

[Phil McDade]

Having four captain's picks....

[Tim Bert]

Not mixing up the teams.  It looks like they had a well thought out strategy of which players were going to play together.  The Euros team chemistry looked more like the US team in the past few sessions.

Having Garcia show up to the event exhausted and asking to sit out a session didn't hurt either.

[mike_beene]

The strategy was to get lucky and make more putts. The outcome of the rain dance is mostly dependent upon timing.

[John Handley]

Having guys like Boo Weekley play at 8 under for 16 holes.

[Mike McGuire]

Must have something to do with some self help author he has been reading and toting around the course.

[Jim Thompson]

4 words-

Miek Hendren Pep Talk

[Matt_Cohn]

The outcome of the rain dance is mostly dependent upon timing.

Is that an actual expression, or did you just make that up?

[Ronald Tricks O'Hooligan Montesano]

Yup, all that.

[mike_beene]

I think it comes from some cowboy poetry,but I heard it years ago and can't remember.Instead of mostly it is largely,but I can't spell that.It has served to remind me to look past results when evaluating myself or others,good or bad, because they can be deceptive.

[John_McMillan]

A coach/captain probably has less influence on a match's outcome in golf than in any other sport, but of the moves that a captain can make, Azinger's seem to have turned out very well this week:

  *  captain's choice picks that produced points
  *  course setup (generous "Azinger rough") that favored his team's  big drivers
  *  talking "down" his team as a "blue collar team" and "underdogs"
  *  playing the head game of "move the tees"
  *  pep-rally before the match to get fans involved as "thirteenth man"

His comments in the Roberts interview seem to suggest some underlying theme to everything that he did for the team's preparation.

[Ken Moum]

In his interview after the US victory, Paul Azinger suggested that he had a "secret strategy" this week, which he may disclose at some time.  (You'd think that Roberts would have taken at least one bite at that apple). 

Anyone want to speculate on what Azinger's secret was this week?

The answer was mentioned on 4GEA.com (http://forums.prospero.com/golfequip/messages?msg=246961.1)

Steve Deumig apparently reported that Zinger created three sub-teams. They were lead by Mickelson, Furyk and Cink (I bet Cink took the spot he intended for Tiger)  

Then they did personality tests on everyone to determine sub-teams and captain's picks.

The sub-teams only played within the teams.

I think it was genius. He eliminated the problems seen in the past with having too many dominant personalities, and each of the leaders only had to deal with three guys who all knew who the top dog was.

Ken

[Ronald Tricks O'Hooligan Montesano]

Wow, Ken, you nailed it.  I went back and checked all the partner matches and they line up.  That is a great new coaching technique for me to chew on.

Wonder if it will work at the high school level, in an altered state?

[John_McMillan]

Thanks kmoum,

From the link you provide, here are the "teams" that Azinger picked:

"Then based on extensive personality testing... members eligible for the Ryder Cup were added to these teams.  Then the final picks (known as the Captain's Pick) were actually done by these 3 team leaders.  So for the most part these team leaders own these teams.

AND here is the critical part, team members only play with others on thier team NOT with others from other teams.  And of course these teams played together in the practice rounds earlier in the week.

Here is what I know about the teams.

Phil Mickelson has Anthony Kim, Hunter Mahan and Justin Leonard on his team

Jim Furyk has Kenny Perry, Boo Weekly and J.B. Holmes on his team

Stewart Cink has Chad Campell, Steve Stricker and Ben Curtis on his team

So for those thinking about possibly pairings. You will NOT see Phil with Furyk for example as they are on different teams.

And in response to another thread Boo will ONLY play with J.B., Kenny Perry or Jim Furyk!"

Checking the pairings for Friday's and Saturday's foursome and fourball matches, there were no pairings outside of the "teams." 
 
I guess the "secret sauce" is not so much in having teams, but on which personality dimensions to place say Hunter Mahan on Mickelson's team instead of Furyk's.

[Mike_Young]

Must have something to do with some self help author he has been reading and toting around the course.

I went to college with the guy, Ron Braund, back in 1970 for a year....had not seen him since....he became a counselor or something in Atlanta.....

[JC Jones]

This also mirrors the way the Sunday matches were made up:

Kim, Mahan, Leonard, Mickelson

Perry, Boo, JB, Furyk

Cink, Stricker, Curtis, Campbell

[Eric Smith]

On Thursday, GCA tower reporter John Mayhugh informed me that Boo was playing his practice round by himself and at the time he wasn't sure why.   Later reports indicated that Jim Furyk had to skip Thursday's practice round due to his wife having some serious back pain, needing medical attention. 

I would assume then, within the Furyk subgroup,  that Holmes and Perry were playing together Thursday and Weekly and Furyk had planned to play together.  Thus Boo playing solo. 

John are you still in the tower, John? 

[Mike McGuire]

Must have something to do with some self help author he has been reading and toting around the course.

I went to college with the guy, Ron Braund, back in 1970 for a year....had not seen him since....he became a counselor or something in Atlanta.....

Thats it Mike.

[Michael Powers]

His secret strategy was to turn it into a birdie fest.  He had the rough cut, kept the fairways wide and believed his team could out-birdie the Europeans, and it worked. 

[Philippe Binette]

Should Tiger be benched att the next ryder cup

[Robert Warren]

Please tell me you guys aren't serious about benching Tiger??

[Phil McDade]

Yes I am....

[Mike McGuire]

Should Tiger be benched att the next ryder cup

He might not mind.

[Robert Warren]

That makes absolutely no sense. There is a large difference between not being on the team and being benched. If he is benched all it does it put even more pressure on the other players knowing that arguable the greatest player of all time is standing there watching them and that they are supposed to outperform him. Secondly, the fact that the team failures are to blame on them is ridiculous. He has played almost to a .500 record in the Ryder Cup on teams that have been absolutely horrible. He still has been the top point earner for the American's over the last few cups. I don't see how Tiger sitting on the bench is going to help Phil make a pressure putt on the back nine (wait... that didn't happen this year either). Tiger and A. Kim will be a super pairing, and Tiger has a 3-1-1 record in singles which is also better than any other US player. If anything lets bench Phil. Just my opinion.

Robert

[Phil McDade]

Robert:

Tiger Woods has led the US in scoring exactly once in the five Ryder Cups he's played -- in 2004, at Oakland Hills, the biggest route in history by the Euros.

97: TW -- 1.5 pnts; Maggert -- 3 pnts.
99: TW -- 2 pnts; Sutton -- 3.5 pnts.
02: TW -- 2.5 pnts; Toms -- 3.5 pnts.
04: TW -- 2 pnts; DiMarco -- 2.5 pnts.
06: TW -- 3 pnts; Cink -- 2.5 pnts.

I'm not saying Tiger should be benched; I'm saying he shouldn't be chosen for the team.

[Art Fuller]

Interesting sub-team stats - Phil's team was the 'A' team - playing 11 matches in total, but only tallying 6 points... Furyk's team was the 'B' team, playing 9 matches, but tallying 7 points! Cink's team was the 'C' team, playing 8 matches, but only tallying 3.5 points.

1 Kim
.5 Mahan
0 Leonard
0 Mickelson
.5 Mickelson/Mahan
.5 Leonard/Mahan
0 Michelson/Kim
1 Michelson/Kim
1 Leonard/Mahan
.5 Michelson/Kim
1 Leonard/Mahan
-------------
6 pts - 6/11

1 Perry
1 Weekly
1 Holmes
1 Furyk
1 Weekly/Holmes
0 Furyk/Perry
1 Furyk/Perry
.5 Weekly/Holmes
.5 Furyk/Perry
-------------
7 pts - 7/9

0 Cink
0 Stricker
1 Curtis
1 Campbell
.5 Stricker/Curtis
0 Cink/Campbell
0 Stricker/Curtis
1 Cink/Campbell
-------------
3.5 pts - 3/8

=============
16.5 - 16.5/28

[Art Fuller]

I bet the sub-team captains got to help pick the "captain's picks" too...

[Robert Warren]

Phil,

My comment about Tiger was in reference to all those who have played in the last few Ryder Cups. Not including some of the guys that have made the team once, or maybe twice. Give me Tiger in the Ryder Cup for 12 years over DiMarco, Maggert, Cink, or Toms anyday. He has been by far the most consistent performer of the group (which still doesn't mean much). You have to give him credit for putting together at least a respectable record on these horrible teams.

Robert

[Andy Troeger]

Interesting strategy, I'm not too surprised as I used to play mental games with my players all the time when I was coaching in high school. It wasn't so much "games" as little strategy things that sometimes seemed to make a big difference.

For example, I had a girl who had been JV all year play great in practice a couple times before our conference tournament, so I played her at #5 (first off) in the event much to her great surprise. She shot her career low in the tournament, then matched it the next week. She led us off the rest of the year despite her obviously deserving to move up in the order. Our #4 spot was actually rotated between the two kids competing for the last spot.

I also had a girl win the city championship from the #5 spot because I had five kids that were all comparable in ability and she was best able to handle playing at the rear of the field playing with kids shooting 150. She probably was our second best player if I'd have had to put them in order that way. We had all our scores pretty close together, but she beat our my #1 kid by two shots. The #1 girl won the next year 

There were other examples, but it was an important part of coaching to me. By convincing the girls that our strategy gave us an advantage it made them believe that we had a better chance to win than we actually did. They played with more confidence, and the results speak for themselves after that. It doesn't always work, but its better than nothing!

[Will MacEwen]

How do you not choose Tiger if he qualifies?

This has to be the high point of Steve Deumig's broadcasting career.

[Phil McDade]

How do you not choose Tiger if he qualifies?

That is a problem, admittedly......

[Rick Shefchik]

The other pros love Tiger. He is not a detriment to U.S. Ryder Cup teams. A 3-1-1 record in singles alone makes him an incredibly valuable teammate, even if you choose to bench him on Friday and Saturday - which no U.S. captain would do.

His absence this week might have added to the U.S. team's determination, but I'm sure they'll all welcome him back in 2010.

[Robert Warren]

Andy,

When I played in high school I had great success in the format which you are discussing above. Midway through my sophomore year I went from the 5th player on the team to the best (it was a breakout year). However, the coach kept me in that 5th spot, playing against lesser competition and with less pressure. I ended up making it to the state championship playing as the 5th man. However, the first few matches of my Junior year I was put out as number one and it took me a while to adjust. It ended up being great after a few matches but I wouldn't have been ready for that change the year before. Keeping the expectations down is a good thing.

Robert

[Phil McDade]

Phil,

My comment about Tiger was in reference to all those who have played in the last few Ryder Cups. Not including some of the guys that have made the team once, or maybe twice. Give me Tiger in the Ryder Cup for 12 years over DiMarco, Maggert, Cink, or Toms anyday. He has been by far the most consistent performer of the group (which still doesn't mean much). You have to give him credit for putting together at least a respectable record on these horrible teams.

Robert

Prior to this year's matches at Valhalla, Tiger and Mickelson had each played in 25 RC matches and both had won 11 points.

I'm not sure I'd call either the '97 or '99 U.S. Ryder Cup teams horrible. The '99 team was arguably one of the most talented the U.S. has put out in recent memory, with 10 majors won by seven members of the team at the time of the RC (plus Mickelson, Duval and Furyk, all of whom went on to win majors after the '99 RC). The '02 U.S. team had nine players who had won majors at the time of the RC that year. Those teams weren't horrible; they played (with the exception of Sunday in '99) badly.

The '04 and '06 U.S. Ryder Cup teams weren't nearly as talented as the Euro squads.