Lanny Wadkins had Oak Hill Country Club on his mind when he picked Curtis Strange and Fred Couples for the last two spots on the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
"I do think there are horses for courses," Wadkins said Monday in announcing his selections. "I think Curtis will have a great Ryder Cup at Oak Hill," a course where he won the U.S. Open in 1989.And Wadkins, looking for a homefield advantage against the European team next month, said that Oak Hill will be set up to play like a U.S. Open course, with its demand on hitting fairways and greens.
"I think I've got a great mix of power and accuracy, particularly considering the golf course," Wadkins said. "I think I have the makeup of some great alternate-shot pairings and some great best-ball pairings."
What the team was lacking before the addition of Strange and Couples was experience.
The final standings in the two-year competition for the Ryder Cup team had U.S. Open champion Corey Pavin on top, followed by Tom Lehman, Davis Love and Phil Mickelson. Jay Haas is fifth, followed by Jeff Maggert, Loren Roberts, Ben Crenshaw, Peter Jacobsen and Brad Faxon.
Of those 10, only Pavin, Love, Haas and Crenshaw have Ryder Cup experience. And Pavin, Love and Haas combined have played in only as many Ryder Cups - four - as Strange has played in himself.
Couples has played in three Ryder Cups, matching Crenshaw.