29 September 2023 , 01:00
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Justin Thomas will have “the biggest bullseye on his back” for the European team in the Ryder Cup.
But former US captain Paul Azinger also reckons Europe skipper Luke Donald picking young Swedish superstar Ludwig Aberg is “very risky” because he has never even played in a Major.
Zach Johnson chose "emotional leader" Thomas despite the two-time Major winner suffering a torrid summer where he missed qualifying for the FedEx playoffs for the first time. “For Justin Thomas, confidence is a huge issue,” said the NBC Sports analyst.
“He doesn’t necessarily have it even though he had a nice finish leading up to this match. I think it is a very risky pick because of the lack of confidence coming from Justin Thomas. And I also believe that Justin Thomas has the biggest bullseye on his back for the European team. There is nobody they would like to beat more than the guy who is deemed the team leader.”
Donald picked Aberg, 23, after the Swede only turned pro in June and won only his ninth pro event at the Omega European Masters. “I think Luke turned down a couple of players who probably deserved to play,” added Azinger. “The Ryder Cup really has always been based on merit not opinion.
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“[Rasmus] Hojgaard is an OK pick. Aberg, if you have been watching him, he is a phenomenal player but he has never played in a Major and I think it is very risky. Your arms feel different, your legs feel different at a Ryder Cup.
Justin Thomas will lead the United States in Rome for the Ryder Cup (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)Have your say! Who'll win the Ryder Cup - Europe or the USA? Let us know your prediction in the comments section.
“He is 23 years old, he is probably going to be the best player in the world but it wasn’t without a bit of risk when he picked him. Both captains took a risk in the way they picked their teams. That is compelling.”
The 1993 US PGA champion was part of the last American team to win in Europe the same year under Tom Watson. I don’t think there is a true explanation for our failure to win over here,” Azinger added.
“However, I do believe that there is something magical about being on your home soil that Europe has really been able to take advantage of through the years, a lot of it by course setup. It’s going to be close, I believe. Very, very close. Hopefully it will be one of the closest ones we’ve seen in a long, long time.”