Lexington Pros pick their Ryder Cup team

J.B. Holmes listed on all 10 ballots; three take Flesch

By Rob Kandt - rkandt@herald-leader.com

If Lexington pros have their way, Kenny Perry won't be the only Kentuckian playing for the United States Ryder Cup team at Valhalla.

U.S. captain Paul Azinger will be the one doing the official picking Tuesday when the final four spots are filled for the 12-man team that will take on Europe.

On the team
1. Phil Mickelson 5342.500
2. Stewart Cink 4952.665
3. Kenny Perry 4480.700
4. Jim Furyk 4423.892
5. Anthony Kim 4035.296
6. Justin Leonard 3379.274
7. Ben Curtis 3120.061
8. Boo Weekley 2785.095
Others
9. Steve Stricker 2663.568
10. Woody Austin 2422.983
11. D.J. Trahan 2372.566
12. Hunter Mahan 2304.517
13. Sean O'Hair 2282.822
14. Rocco Mediate 2273.660
15. Brandt Snedeker 2248.887
16. Zach Johnson 2184.508
17. J.B. Holmes 2126.047
18. Jeff Quinney 2024.187
19. Bart Bryant 1900.257
20. Chad Campbell 1827.429
21. Jerry Kelly 1774.993
22. Steve Flesch 1720.528
23. Heath Slocum 1665.654
24. Paul Goydos 1614.467
25. Briny Baird 1586.664
26. Bubba Watson 1547.341
27. Steve Lowery 1517.991
28. Patrick Perez 1456.916
29. Ken Duke 1427.965
30. Billy Mayfair 1416.853
If pros were captains
Here is how Lexington pros responded when asked: If you were the U.S. Ryder Cup captain, what four players would you pick for the team? We didn't ask them to order their selections, but we have listed them as they were submitted.
Brad Bachand, Man o' War Golf Learning Center: J.B. Holmes, Steve Stricker, Hunter Mahan, Sean O'Hair
Carmello Benassi, Kearney Hill Links G.C.: Hunter Mahan, Rocco Mediate, Zach Johnson, J.B. Holmes
Al Chrouser, Lakeside G.C.: J.B. Holmes, Woody Austin, Brian Gay, Fred Couples
Brent Edmister, Greenbrier Golf & C.C.: Steve Stricker, Woody Austin, Rocco Mediate, J.B. Holmes
Mike Fields, Lexington Fayette Urban County Government Director of Golf: Steve Stricker, J.B. Holmes, Steve Flesch, Corey Pavin
Pete Garvey, Idle Hour C.C.: J.B. Holmes, Rocco Mediate, Zach Johnson, Steve Flesch
Greg Griffith, Lexington C.C.: Steve Stricker, Hunter Mahan, Brandt Snedeker, J.B. Holmes
Don Hobbs, Griffin Gate Marriott: Steve Stricker, Rocco Mediate, J.B. Holmes, David Toms
Jimmy Masters, Spring Valley G.C.: J.B. Holmes, David Toms, Rocco Mediate, Steve Stricker
Jeff Shelton, Gay Brewer Jr. Course at Picadome: Rocco Mediate, Steve Stricker, Steve Flesch, J.B. Holmes

Azinger will reveal his team one day after European captain Nick Faldo announces his squad.

To give Azinger some help, the Herald-Leader polled the head golf professionals in Lexington, asking them which four players they would choose if they were making the selections.

All 10 pros that responded named J.B. Holmes as one of their picks. Holmes, the long-hitting former Kentucky Wildcat from Campbellsville, was 17th on the points list after the PGA Championship, the cutoff for automatic qualifying for the team. That placed Holmes ninth among players who did not qualify.

But that didn't discourage the Lexington pros.

"J.B.'s length will be a key, and he can make a lot of birdies," said Jeff Shelton, the head pro at the Gay Brewer Jr. Course at Picadome. "He has also played for the U.S. in the Walker Cup (the amateur version of the Ryder Cup) and excelled at the format."

The pros also envisioned the 26-year-old Holmes helping to create excitement in Louisville.

"Can you imagine a Holmes-Perry pairing in the first group Friday morning?" said Idle Hour Country Club pro Pete Garvey. "Talk about getting the home crowd fired up!"

Another former Wildcat, Steve Flesch of Union, finished tied for the fourth and final spot in the poll (he was named by three pros), but at No. 22 overall in the points standings, he is a long shot to be chosen by Azinger. Hunter Mahan also received three votes.

The second-most popular pick behind Holmes was Steve Stricker, who got seven votes. Shelton called Stricker, "a great putter," and Don Hobbs, of Griffin Gate Marriott, said, "in match play, great putting is a must. It provides momentum and disheartens the opponent."

The third member of the team, if the local pros were choosing, would be Rocco Mediate (six votes).

Visitors to Kentucky.com were asked their opinion, but they were limited to voting for only one player. Holmes, the native son, easily leads with 44 percent of the vote followed by Mediate (20 percent), Stricker (12) and Flesch and Zach Johnson (7 each).

PGA.com conducted its own survey that catered to a national audience. Voters, who were allowed to make four selections, chose (as of Saturday night) Mediate (17 percent), Stricker (17), Johnson (11) and Woody Austin (10). Holmes was seventh (8) and Flesch was 11th (3).

Azinger has an advantage over those that were polled. He gets to wait until the end of the Deutsche Bank Championship, which concludes Monday.