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Azinger, Faldo both cagey about Valhalla strategies
by Eric Soderstrom, Golfweek.com
2008 Ryder Cup
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Day 3:
Day 2:
Day 1:
Preview:
- Meet the 12 U.S. players
- Meet the 12 European players
- Tait: Faldo outdueling Azinger early
- Tait: U.S. team a Cinderella story
- Golfweek: Why the U.S. will win
- Golfweek: Why the Europeans will win
- Hoggard: Azinger's bomber squad
- Golfweek: Ryder Cup lives up to hype
Video:
Photos:
The barb-trading between Azinger and Faldo has been ongoing for years now. This is no secret, unlike everything else you'd like to know two days before the start to a Ryder Cup.
This includes team strategy, as 'Zinger was quick to point out Wednesday. "I can't be specific about anything that we're doing at this point," he said.
"It's no big deal. There's no great secrets. But I came in here with a concept," he said, pausing, then smiling. "It's a secret."
Azinger furthered that theme later in his press conference, saying he thought the Europeans had a couple spies, or secret agents, following the U.S. team around during practice rounds.
When notified of that charge, Faldo acted surprised, then also used the "S" word — more than one, actually.
"My spies are so secret," Faldo said, "I don't even know who my spies are."
Secets and spies and no Tiger, oh my!
Coincidentally, the most popular spy Wednesday at Valhalla (aka "The Secret Garden") was a television camera that caught a close-up shot of a piece of paper in Faldo's hands with groups of initials scribbled on it.
Adjacent at the top of the paper were the initials SG (Sergio Garcia) and LW (Lee Westwood), along with PH (Padraig Harrington) and RK (Robert Karlsson), perhaps the lead groups for Friday's opening foursomes.
Below that was a line with JR (Justin Rose), IP (Ian Poulter), GMC (Graeme McDowell) and PC (Paul Casey), followed by another line with OW (Oliver Wilson), SH (Soren Hansen) and MAJ (Miguel Angel Jimenez). Missing only were the initials HS (Henrik Stenson), which may have been covered by Faldo's finger.
"He's on the other side of the piece of paper," joked Faldo, who was hammered on the topic throughout his press conference by members of the British media. "The Swedes do it the other way around."
At one point, Faldo removed what was presumed to be his famed piece of paper from his back pocket and lifted it in the air, and though he didn't flip the paper over to prove his claim, Faldo remained flippant.
He called the paper a lunch list. He said he hadn't put numbers next to the names yet, thereby making such informaton useless. He also said they were actually "tomorrow's pairings," as in for Thursday's practice round.
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Ever the comedian, Faldo was then asked what he thought was the biggest impact he could have on the matches as a captain.
"The biggest thing I can do is keep things secret, I feel," he said. "That's the biggest impact."
Wednesday afternoon, the Junior Ryder Cup teams from the United States and Europe teed off in a nine-hole "friendship" match. A CIA vs. FBI tussle in an "intelligence" match would have been more fitting. (The winner would get Tiger Woods' cell phone number.)
When asked after his press conference if he was still planning on pairing Kentuckians J.B. Holmes and Kenny Perry and sending them out in the first group Friday, Azinger said "I'm leaning that way, yeah." Reporters pushed him to make a guarantee, but Azinger didn't necessarily give in.
Azinger said he really liked the pairing and that if he did pair Holmes and Perry, they would go off first Friday. He even said that if he didn't go ahead with that plan, he would probably earn criticism. An American reporter replied that the media would also be critcized for writing it.
"I can lie," Azinger said, wryly. "I don't have to tell the press the truth."
A British journalist then asked Azinger if he thought it was "fair" to use the press to possibly psyche out Faldo and the European side.
Azinger snarled, questioning the reporter's use of the word "fair."
You know what they say. All's fair in love and Valhalla.
"I think Paul is trying to pull a poker move here," Faldo said, when asked about the Holmes-Perry situation. "So we will see. If that happens, that happens."
At a Ryder Cup, this is how things happen.
Member Comments
Birdieman@sd<br /><br />Your assement could be right on the money... <br /><br />However...those same reasons you point out could be the very reasons they win.. The lack of experance means no old bagage... the home field pressure cuts both ways its something for USA to feed off of and something to distract the Europeans.. <br /><br />Those guys could be coming here thinking this is a done deal and then the US team jumps up and smacks them into reality..<br /><br />This has the makings of a great Ryder Cup...<br /><br />Lets Go Team USA !!!!!!
OLDSCHOOLSTEELER9/18/2008 9:43:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
Not caring what Jack Nicklaus has to say, or listening to the media's wishful thinking, the US Team is probably going to get smoked. No leaders, lack of strong veteran play, lack of experience, home field pressure, lack of match play experience--all add up to another big LOSS. I hope I'm wrong, and I'll be cheering for Team USA bigtime, but I just don't see it happening with the likes of JB Holmes, Boo "Sound Byte" Weekely, Chad Campbell, and Phil Mickelson--all mental midgets.
birdieman@sd9/18/2008 9:16:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
Oldschoolsteeler: next you will see CLE23 on the tennis boards saying the same thing about Nadal and Federer. It would be nice if these people knew a thing or two about difficult an accomplishment winning in these sports actually is, let alone when someone has the ability to dominate. <br /><br />Also last time I checked Jordan was the best ever, not Lebron. Oh and how many championships has Lebron won? Oh thats right, none. Oh and how did they do in the finals 2 years ago, oh yeah, thats right they were sweeped 4-0. Oh and how did he play during the finals? Good, but not great. His scoring average in the finals was lower than his scoring average in the post season 22pts to 25pts, respectedly. Seems to me he might not have risen to the challenge
tkaudi9/18/2008 9:04:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
SkinsFanAngie...<br /><br />The Steelers are going to do just that.... The Eagles are looking past the Steelers and thinking they are all... that but the truth is they have only beat the Rams and we know they do not have much going for them... <br /><br />So the Steelers will be ready for the Eagles<br />The question is will the Eagles be ready for the Steelers...<br /><br />I know in their mind we only beat the Texans and the Browns... and yes they are right... We beat the teams we should beat.. And as you know winning is a habit, just as losing is..<br /><br />And I like the habits of the Steelers...
OLDSCHOOLSTEELER9/18/2008 8:53:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
Cle23...There is a big difference with Tom Brady, Magiv Johnson and Tiger Woods, and yes your lover Lebron James. Those players all play TEAM sports, Tiger plays an individual sport. Brady passes a ball to another player, Tiger can't pass a putt to another golfer. Get it?<br /><br />Also, while Lebron may have been the team leader, he didn't win the gold by himself, his many teammates contributed to more points combined than he did. <br /><br />Also, Tiger has been on a team that has won a Ryder cup, so please get your facts straight. Irish, the Ryder Cup is every other year, in between is the Presidents Cup.
tkaudi9/18/2008 8:51:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
CLE23...<br /><br />LAST I CHECKED GOLF IS AN INDAVIDUAL SPORT THUS MAKING EVERY PRO GOLFER SELFISH... HE OR SHE HAS NO OTHER TEAMMATES TO PICK THEM UP WHEN THEY PLAY BAD...THUS BAD PLAY EQUALS NO LESS MONEY...<br /><br />SO YOU?RE RIGHT ABOUT BEING SELFISH... AND YOU?RE WRONG ABOUT TIGER NOT BEING A SUPERSTAR AND YOUR WAY OFF ABOUT YOUR LABRON BEING BETTER THEN TIGER THING...<br /><br />YOU CLEARLY KNOW NOTHING ABOUT GOLF...BECAUSE IF YOU DID YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND TIGERS DOMINANCE IN HIS SPORT AND HOW DIFICULT IT IS TO DO... <br /><br />THERE IS NO ONE IN ANY SPORT THAT STRIKES FEAR INTO THE OTHER PLAYERS LIKE TIGER. HIS PRESENCE ON THE LEADER BOARD CAUSES MANY OF THE WORLDS BEST GOLFERS TO FOLD WHILE LOOKING OVER THEIR SHOLDER...<br /><br />NO ONE!!!!<br /><br /><br />LET ME GUESS YOUR A BROWNS FAN TOOOOO LOL
OLDSCHOOLSTEELER9/18/2008 8:28:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
GO USA, show those limeys why we left that continent. whoever plays casey whanck him in the knee with a putter.
freefee9/18/2008 7:51:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
the fact remains that tiger woods is a selfish player. he's not a true superstar in my mind.<br /><br />the great ones always make their teammates better. just lik magic johnson and tom brady have.<br /><br />lebron james is better at basketball than tiger is at golf. lebron just won the gold for team usa.<br /><br />coach k said lebron was the undisputed leader of the team. nobody can say that about tiger.<br /><br />if tiger was great then the US would have won a ryder cup by now.<br /><br />end transmission.
CLE239/18/2008 7:19:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
I am a crazy fan and a crazy cute girls too :> Let's chat online at "B l a c k W h i t e K i S S . c o m" where you can meet many nice black & white women now..
wiseisbetter089/17/2008 21:16:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
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