Kevin Chappell has Johnny Miller’s vote.
The NBC analyst, on site to analyze the Tour Championship, was asked Saturday who among the candidates he likes for the last spot on the U.S. Ryder Cup team, to be chosen Sunday night. While the team captain, Davis Love III, has said Tour Championship performance would have no bearing on the 12th pick, the always opinionated Miller is of the exact opposite mind.
“I would have said whoever played the best this week of the group that’s right in there makes it,” said Miller, pointing to two guys who have spent time near the top of the Tour Championship leaderboard — Chappell and Kevin Kisner.
With a nod to Chappell. “Chappell I’m leaning toward. He hasn’t been able to finish a tournament too well. I just think he has that short swing and his bad shots are really quite good. I think his time has sort of come.”
Regardless who Love selects, Miller said it is time for the U.S. to break its prolonged Ryder Cup slump (it has lost the last three and eight of the last 10). And in a big way.
“This is the year that not only could the U.S. win, there’s a good chance they could win by like five points,” he said.
He explained further: “The Euros, at least on paper, have the worst team they’ve had in many years. With all those rookies. When you lose (Ian) Poulter it’s like tearing your heart out. That guy was a pain if you were playing against that team.”
Yes, the U.S. team is potentially very stout. “The best maybe ever assembled,” Love said. Which did amuse Miller who was part of a 1981 Ryder Cup assemblage that included Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Ray Floyd, Lee Trevino, Larry Nelson and Ben Crenshaw. It beat Europe by nine points.
“No, this (team) is not at that level,” Miller said, smiling. “But it is a really good team. He’s just saying that. It’s like a boxing match, he’s just throwing out stuff.
“There was no chance (of the ’81 U.S. team losing). It was sort of just a formality from the start.”
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