Steve Stricker selected to be on 2012 Ryder Cup team

NEW YORK – United States Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love III selected Jim Furyk, Dustin Johnson, Brandt Snedeker and Steve Stricker on Tuesday to complete the 12-player roster for the 2012 United States Ryder Cup Team. The foursome, which features three players with Ryder Cup experience, join eight golfers who had earned automatic berths Aug. 12, following the 94th PGA Championship.

The selections were announced at the NASDAQ MarketSite in Times Square, just blocks from where The PGA of America was founded in 1916.

The 2012 U.S. Team has an overall Ryder Cup record of 41-59-16, contributing 49 points. 

Furyk will be making his eighth straight trip to golf’s pre-eminent event, tying him for second all-time in appearances among U.S. Ryder Cup players. He has an 8-15-4 overall Ryder Cup record. Stricker will be making his third consecutive Ryder Cup appearance, with a record of 3-3-1, while Johnson is making his second straight Ryder Cup appearance, and was 1-3-0, while competing in 2010 at the Celtic Manor in Newport, Wales. Snedeker joins Jason Dufner, 2011 PGA Champion Keegan Bradley and reigning U.S. Open Champion Webb Simpson in making their Ryder Cup debuts.

Love, the 27th U.S. Ryder Cup Captain, said that he wanted to blend experience and players “who were the hottest” coming into the Ryder Cup.

“I can’t tell you how excited I am that these four guys are going to round out our Ryder Cup Team,” said Love. “I think we have a great team, extremely deep this time, deeper than we’ve ever been. We are looking for pairings, to plug some holes, to add some experience, and add some putters. These guys all fill those roles perfectly.”

European Captain Jose Maria Olazabal completed his Team on Aug. 27. The European Team features one rookie, Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts, and 11 players who have an overall Ryder Cup record of 61-31-18, and who have contributed 70 points.

The U.S. Team bids to regain possession of the Ryder Cup, which it last won in 2008. The U.S. players earning automatic bids are led by world No. 3-ranked Tiger Woods, who is joined in order of their finish in the U.S. Ryder Cup point standings by Bubba Watson, Jason Dufner, Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson, Zach Johnson, Matt Kuchar and Phil Mickelson.

Mickelson will be making his ninth consecutive Ryder Cup appearance, which sets the U.S. Team record for most consecutive appearances, and most all-time appearances.

Begun in 1927, The Ryder Cup is among the last great professional sporting events where winning, and not prize money, is its own reward. The United States owns a 25-11-2 advantage in the biennial competition.