Is the Ryder Cup team better off without Tiger Woods?
The sample size is pretty small, but, since Tiger Woods turned pro in 1996, the U.S. has not lost the Ryder Cup when he didn't play. Sure, it was once, with Woods sidelined in 2008 after winning the U.S. Open on one good leg. However, there's a sense that this American team could benefit from playing without the 14-time major winner.
Captain Tom Watson said Monday he wished Woods, who withdrew his name from consideration after aggravating a back injury that has sidelined him much of this year, could be part of this team.
"I would love to have Tiger on the team. He brings an element of intimidation," Watson said. "He brings an element of great play and competitive spirit. Even though he's not on the team, he's here in spirit."
With all respect to Watson, his fellow Stanford product would not have put much of a scare into the European team with his Ryder Cup record. Woods is 13-17-3 all-time in the Ryder Cup. Backing out his 4-1-2 mark in the singles matches, Woods is 9-16-1 in the two-man sessions. Obviously, it takes two to tango in the foursomes and fourball matches, but Woods has struggled to find a partnership that leads to consistent points. Steve Stricker was the closest Woods had ever come to finding that guy, and even that duo proved fallible.
For his part, former Woods swing coach Butch Harmon thinks the U.S. is better off without Woods, who now seems an unhealthy shadow of his former self.
"I don't think they lose anything by not having Tiger Woods," Harmon said, "because at this point in time he's not the Tiger Woods we remember."
Ryan Ballengee is a Yahoo Sports contributor. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.
